Fate's hand
by Idika
Summary: Harry has many things to cherish and soon a brooding vampire would join that list However, is Edward ready to face the complications that come with being involved with the Dark Lord's son? Slash. AU. Dark Harry. EC/HP.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Summary: Hermione was always regarded as the smartest witch of her generation. Her intelligence cost Albus Dumbledore dearly while Harry gained something precious.**

**Warnings: Harry Potter and Twilight crossover (Not for a while though.) Slash. Completely AU from the Goblet of Fire onwards.**

**Pairings: Edward Cullen/Harry Potter, Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale/Emmett Cullen, Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

****

"Hello Harry."

Harry Potter looked at the girl standing at his doorstep with wide eyes. Instantly collecting himself, he stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him. "Hermione? What are you doing here?" he asked before glancing at the man standing behind her, flushing lightly. "Hello Mr. Granger."

The man smiled and nodded, "Hello Harry." The man's eyes traveled over Harry, a frown appearing when he saw the over-sized dirty clothes. Harry smiled sheepishly, wondering how he could explain his ragged state to the man. "Harry, are your relatives home?"

"Only my aunt, sir. My cousin and my uncle are not present." He replied.

Hermione nodded, "Harry, we need to discuss something very important." he frowned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "You and I used the time-turner during our third year to rescue Padfoot and Buckbeak."

The Boy-who-Lived relaxed before looking at his best friend in concern. "What's wrong, 'mione?"

She bit her lip, "This is not something we should discuss here. Let my father talk to your aunt. He will convince her to let you stay with us for a couple of days. Ron wanted to come as well but we do not want Mrs. Weasley to suspect something so he stayed home."

Harry arched a brow and grimaced. He looked at his friend's father with an apologetic smile, "Mr. Granger, my aunt is not the most…" he frowned slightly, "She is not the most pleasant person. She is extremely prejudiced and I am afraid that she may say something that would…"

"It's alright, son." The older man waved him off with a smile, "Hermione has thrown some very spectacular rants regarding your relatives. I know what to expect." Hermione blushed at her father's amused look and Harry smiled and opened the door to usher them into the house.

"Aunt Petunia, we have guests." He called out, frowning slightly, knowing that the encounter is going to be unpleasant. His aunt hurried came out of the kitchen and frowned when she saw and recognized Hermione.

Mr. Granger intervened before she could say anything, "Harry, why don't you take Hermione to your room and pack for a couple of nights. Bring some of your schoolwork as well. Hermione and you can study together."

Harry nodded, "Alright sir." He grabbed Hermione's hand, "Come 'mione."

When the children left, the man turned to Petunia and offered her his hand to shake, "Hello, my name is William Granger. Nice to meet you."

Petunia frowned as though she had eaten something foul but played the proper host, "Petunia Dursley." She replied shortly before offering him some tea that he graciously accepted.

"Mrs. Dursley," The man began, "I am here to ask you to allow Harry to stay with us for a couple of days." He smiled at her charmingly when she went to protest, "Please, I would be most grateful. You see, Hermione is getting quite bored since we have no vacation plans this summer and my wife and I decided that she would appreciate the company of her best friends for a while. Hermione and Harry can work together and finish their schoolwork away from your family. I will even take them to shop for school supplies so he will be out of your hair for quite a while."

Petunia narrowed her eyes, "The headmaster, Dumbledore, told us not to let Harry out of the house often."

William frowned, "Well, Hermione is Harry best friend, madam. I am quite certain that the headmaster will not mind them spending sometime together. Moreover, Harry has been through some trying times. It would be best not to let that anger and pain fester. Who knows how his magic will react he is depressed state continues." It was a subtle threat and very cunningly applied. William knew that he was not being fair and possibly making things a bit more difficult for Harry. However, he wasn't entirely impressed with the way his daughter's best friend was being treated.

The effect was instantaneous. Petunia paled before nodding hurriedly. "Of course, of course." She smiled shakily at him, "You can keep him for as long as you want. I will tell his uncle about this later."

William smiled at her charmingly once again before looking towards the stairs. "Hermione, Harry, time to leave."

The children responded to his call immediately. Harry looking well dressed in his white button-up shirt and dark blue jeans. William nodded, taking the trunk from Harry. The boy was so small and slender that William feared for him. He resisted the urge to call social services and lodge a compliant about Harry's abuse. He had no doubt that there was abuse, maybe not of the physical kind but definitely psychological abuse.

Discarding his thoughts, he ushered the children out of the house and into his car before Harry's aunt could change her mind.

"Hermione… what is this all about?" Harry asked, his voice stern and deep. Even at the age of fourteen – nearly fifteen, it seemed that the child had the voice of a leader.

"Hermione had found some interesting information and she had been discussing it with her mother and I. She wanted to get a fresh perspective." William said and glanced at his nervous looking daughter.

"Mione?"

She bit her lip, "Harry… I just…" she paused, "The with entire mess of the Triwizard Tournament, I did some research. I mean, how they could allow you to risk your life like that when it was obvious that it was a trap… Crouch Jr. pointed it out, didn't he?" She wrung her hands and looked into Harry's piercing green eyes with a frown, "I studied into the history of the tournament and found that… no one can be unwillingly made to participate in the tournament. _Even if their names are chosen by the Goblet._"

Harry hissed, his eyes narrowed as he turned away. "I knew it."

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore was well within his rights to object. _He_ was the one who created that law stating that the Headmaster of the School _must_ agree that the student selected by the Goblet can participate. Moreover, there can never be more than three participants. If the goblet chooses more than three, the first three names are only considered. _This_ had happened before when the Goblet chose five and only the first three were allowed to participate. It was some two hundred years ago… but everyone seemed to have forgotten about it."

Harry swallowed, struggling to accept what Hermione implied.

"Son." Harry looked at William. "When Hermione told us this, I encouraged her to do more research on the laws and the workings of the Wizarding world." He paused, "She found interesting information on a certain Tom Riddle."

Harry narrowed his eyes at the name and turned to look at Hermione in question. She nodded grimly, "You will be surprised, Harry, by how much has been hidden from us… from you." She looked sad, "That man has been hunting you and you have every right to know as much as you can about it and yet here we are…" she scowled, "_Clueless._"

"What have you found?" Harry asked, feeling numb as he leaned back in his seat.

Before Hermione could answer, William interrupted, "We will discuss this when we are home." He stated firmly, "Harry needs to calm down and keep himself in control while he hears this."

Both of them nodded, Hermione looking at Harry every now and then, worried about his reaction while Harry looked pensive, his eyes dark and thoughtful as they gazed out of the window.

It was not long before they arrived at a pleasant looking home. Mrs. Granger greeted them with a small smile but to Harry; her smile was especially warm, somewhat motherly. Her hand came up to brush his hair, "How are you, Harry?"

"I am well, Mrs. Granger." Harry said with a solemn smile as he was ushered into the house by Hermione.

When they sat, Hermione spread a number of parchments and various books in front of him. "I researched into the timeline after Tom Riddle left Hogwarts. He asked for a position to teach in Hogwarts but he was denied. After that, he chose to travel. I don't know what happened during those years he wasn't in Britain but I can only guess that he was recruiting and training himself." She took a deep breath, "He was a brilliant wizard, Harry. His Defense against Dark Arts scores are just as high as yours are. Moreover, he excelled in every thing he did. He was the prefect, the Head boy and received a medal for Magical Merit. When he came back, he was offered several jobs at the ministry… all of which he rejected. It seemed as though he had his heart set on the job at Hogwarts but Professor Dumbledore rejected him."

Harry frowned as she went onto explain how he took up a job in a shop in Knockturn Alley but then after a few months of doing that job, he simply disappeared once again.

"I don't see how this is relevant, Mione." Harry asked as he looked through Hermione's careful notes.

"Harry, take a look at the laws Purebloods were trying to introduce after he came back to England for the first time."

Harry frowned and did as she asked, studying her notes carefully and comparing them to the source of her research, the volumes detailing the laws passed and dismissed during each Wizengamot session.

_A petition to include the following subjects in Hogwarts curriculum:_

_1. History of Dark Arts_

_2. Wards and Curse-Breaking_

_3. Healing _

_4. Study of Ancient Rituals and Old Magic_

_5. Physical combat styles such as Fencing, Martial Arts, Dueling_

_6. Muggle Studies: a. Muggle Medicine, b. Muggle Science and Mathematics, c. Muggle Technology, d. Muggle Culture and History. (For Purebloods and Halfbloods)_

_7. Wizarding Studies: a. Wizarding Culture and Etiquette, b. Common Folklore and Arts, c. Sociology and Economics of the Wizarding world._

_8. Spell Creation _

_9. Law_

_Petition introduced by Lord Abraxas Malfoy._

_Supported by Malfoy, Black, Potter, Nott, Zabini, Lestrange, Prince, Longbottom families_

_Petition denied Dumbledore, Weasley, McGonagall, Fudge, Crouch, Abbot, Bones, Boot, Lovegood, Umbridge, Corner, Thickenesse, Shacklebolt… families_.

Harry frowned and continued.

_A petition to integrate Muggle-born children to the wizarding world at the age of five_

_Petition introduced by Lord Orion Black._

_Supported by Potter, Zabini, Weasley, Lovegood, Longbottom, Nott, Malfoy… etc, families._

_Denied by Dumbledore, Crouch… etc, families._

As Harry pursued Hermione's notes, it became increasingly clear what was happening. The elite pureblood families of Potter, Black, Nott, Zabini, Malfoy, etc were introducing several laws that would changed and improved the wizarding world and each one of them was denied. Moreover, every time the petitions were denied, Dumbledore's name was present.

It's wasn't hard to see that something was amiss.

"What is this…" Harry asked, almost to himself, his eyes narrowed in anger. "What does he think he is doing? Why the hell would he stop an Anti-corruption department from being formed? Does Dumbledore support the ministry corruption?"

"I don't know Harry." Hermione said softly, "Have you noticed that these petitions did not start until after Tom Riddle returned to England for the first time. I can bet that he was behind this. They are obviously trying to convince the Light Wizards that Dark Arts is a part of magic and therefore should not be banned." She gestured towards several petitions that subtly tried to promote the interest of Dark wizards. "Moreover, I found this..." she handed an old, worn looking book to Harry. "My dad and I took a trip to Knockturn Alley." Hermione shuddered while William nodded in confirmation when Harry looked at them in surprise. "Read the marked page, Harry."

The Potter heir arched a brow and turned to the rage that was bookmarked.

"_In my travels to the Ancient countries of China, Japan, Egypt and India, I noticed something that enlightened me about magic a great deal._

_Magic in these countries is so free. It is not bound by restrictions of being dark and light or good and evil. It is the intent of the person not the magic itself, which is judged. I came across the concept of Yin and Yang. Opposite forces that are interconnected, interdependent, and only together were they whole._

_I realized then that light cannot exist without dark and dark cannot exist without light. Magic was free, it was a force of nature that we, magical people, could channel. Some were adept in channeling the darker side of magic, the magic that was subtle, deeper, more powerful but relating to some of the less appreciated and more realistic aspects of living beings. Light magic was different, lighter, happier, protective and more carefree. _

_However, both needed to exist in tandem so that magic itself could grow._

_When I returned to England, it seemed as though I was in a cage. Everything was bound, magic was bound. It was as though we had pinned a butterfly's wing to the ground, trapping it and it was struggling to escape, whilst slowly weakening and dying. _

_We were actively suppressing a side of magic that was less appealing, less idealistic to us because we were frightened to face the darker aspects of our own nature. _

_Because of our own fear, we are killing magic."_

Harry turned to the cover of the book and found that it was written by a man called Cygnus Peverell. Hermione silently handed him another book and he froze when he saw the name of the author.

_Salazar Slytherin._

Cautiously, he opened the book.

"_Change is a fact. It must happen for without it society with become stagnant. Nevertheless, be cautious that with change, you do not lose your identity. There was a time when magic was magic, a gift given to us by nature to cherish and preserve. Magic is an ability we possess and we must improve on it, develop it as we have developed other gifts that nature has given to us. To say that one must not practice and preach dark arts is to say that night should not exist, that moon is not as vital to us as the sun. If the light magic is masculine, the dark magic is feminine… without the union of both there is no magic… there is no growth. _

_As my eyes grow old and wise, I see as my kin invite danger to their doorstep. Shunning what has been norm for centuries in the face of new adventures. My friend Godric does not understand, I cannot condone actions. He invites muggle-borns to the school we built, a school that we have built as a refuge to escape from the growing threat of muggles and their prejudiced views. _

_As I write this now, I fear for the future of our kind. If the muggles forget about our existence, if we forget about their atrocities on our kind and we start to feel secure in revealing our secrets to them, disaster would strike. They will fear us, think of us as a threat to their existence and another violent war will occur._

_I hope dearly that the generations that follow us remember and be cautious. Our world should not be open to them for they will pollute it… destroy it. We are different, we have been given a gift that separates us from them and we should keep this distinction between us in mind. _

_Magic does not flow in their blood but that does not make them less of a threat… we will be wise to remember that."_

Harry frowned, "Hermione…"

His best friend leaned forward, her eyes keen. "There is more, Harry. I researched as much as I could; I even wrote a letter to Viktor for his help was able to establish contact with Fleur as well. Harry, we are being misled! The nature of the magic we perform is genetic!" She showed Harry a research paper that Viktor had sent her and then a book that Fleur grandmother had given her. "A wizard inherits and innate ability to perform a kind of magic. Some people have dark magic in their blood and are proficient in that and then there are some who have lighter magic in their blood and excel in that. If we ban dark magic, we are generally weakening magic itself because those who carry the innate ability to perform dark magic are not able to use them! It is starting to affect us." She took a deep breath, "Harry, the sorting hat doesn't only look at personalities but also magic when it sorts. Slytherin and Ravenclaw houses were traditionally the houses that used to harbor Dark Wizards and teach them Dark Magic while Gryffindor and Hufflepuff contained Light Wizards and were taught Light Magic primarily. _Hogwarts_ had this system until some three hundred years ago when the prejudice started to increase, when Purebloods started to loose their supreme influence with the increase of halfbloods and muggleborns."

Harry leaned back and reader everything that Hermione highlighted, his eyes narrowed and posture tense.

"So what caused Tom Riddle to become Lord Voldemort? You say that there is a connection between those laws that Dumbledore did not allow to pass and Tom but we have no proof of it." Harry pointed out.

Hermione nodded and sighed, "That is why I felt the need to tell you this."

Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Mr. Granger, can you please take us to Diagon Alley today?" he asked as he looked at the older man, "I may not be able to withdraw money from the ancestral Potter vaults until I am an adult, but I can take the books from the collection which I was told were in the vaults during my second visit." He sighed, "That may tell us something."

He sighed when William nodded in agreement and then looked at Hermione, "I think that we have established that Dumbledore is trying to hide something. If what you say about the Goblet is true than…" Harry paused with a sneer, "I don't know…"

"He is testing you."

Harry glanced sharply at Hermione's mother, not having expected her to contribute to the conversation. "Mrs. Granger?"

She handed a tall glass of orange juice to Harry and sat down in front of him. "Hermione finally saw it fit to tell us about all the adventures you three have been going through." She sent a mild glare at Hermione who smiled a bit guiltily. "I cannot imagine how a school can be such an unsafe place and Harry…" she paused and looked at him keenly, "Every year, you were placed in situations that most adults would not survive in. Tell me, after all these years, don't you feel as though it is your obligation and your duty to protect Hogwarts from Voldemort and his servants?"

"Ye…" Harry paused, his eyes narrowing furiously as he understood what Hermione's mother was implying. "I see." His hissed, leaning back.

Hermione flinched, "I cannot imagine how we didn't see it." She whispered. "Keeping the Philosophers Stone in the school and setting up protections that were more like tests… then the second year with the basilisk… that may have been Lucius Malfoy's work but it was very convenient that only you could be called upon to save the day. Dumbledore even subtly nudged you in that direction." She bit her lip, "The third year… I don't even know where to begin. There were so many things wrong with that! Sirius being arrested and put in jail without trial was wrong in so many ways! It is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty not guilty until proven innocent! Yet again, it falls on us to solve a problem that they could have done on their own if they had used a little bit of common sense."

Harry nodded, slowly sipping the juice.

"We need to know more, Harry." Hermione said seriously. "I am at my wits end." She whispered, "When I look back on everything now, I can only see manipulations and gross injustice." Her eyes were suspiciously moist, "What they are doing to you… both Professor Dumbledore and Voldemort is hurting you so much… Why you Harry?"

The boy shook his head slowly, "I don't know." He whispered before swallowing his own growing resentment. "Look, I will try and see if the goblins at Gringotts can prove to be of some help but they are mighty selfish creatures. Asking Sirius or Remus is a risk… they are very fond of Dumbledore."

Mrs. Granger nodded, "You say that the Potter vaults have books that may contain some information. Maybe you should try getting to know why Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore both seem to think there is something different about you that is worth possessing and manipulating. Maybe your parents have left behind some clues, Harry."

Mr. Granger sighed and stood, "Well, come on then."

"Wait!" Hermione said with a frown, "We can't just walk off to Diagon Alley! People recognize Harry on sight and you _know_ that Professor Dumbledore has forbidden Harry from venturing too far away from his house!"

Mrs. Granger smiled, "Well, we will just have to disguise him somehow."

Harry eyed suddenly cheerful woman warily. He did not have a good feeling about this.

****

Harry sighed; combing his fingers through his now neatly cut and styled auburn hair. He hated it but Mrs. Granger had insisted that his jet-black, just-out-of-bed hair was very recognizable and Hermione had concurred. He was now sporting a pair of rather expensive designer glasses instead of his usual round, many-times-broken frames. It served to hide his brilliant green eyes better since the glasses darkened when sunlight hit them. His scar was hidden by Mrs. Granger's application of concealer.

Dressed entirely as a muggle, he fit right in with the Granger family and unless they came across people who knew Hermione very well, many would conclude that Harry was Hermione's brother. Mr. Granger only reinforced the image by placing an arm over his shoulder. Although they had taken precautions, Harry was still nervous.

As soon as they entered Gringotts, Harry took the lead, directing them towards the back where a rather inconspicuous door was situated. He passed the tellers without a single glance and Hermione frowned in confusion.

He pushed the door open to reveal a different Gringotts. There were a series of black doors; each of them had an alphabet on them. Harry headed for the one with 'P' written on it.

"Harry, what is this?" Hermione asked softly while her father looked about in wonder.

Harry grinned at her with slight remorse. "It is the part of the bank accessible only to old and rich families." He opened the door and walked in, heading towards a particular goblin at the end of the large room. "Mr. Rockhammer." He called out; he was polite yet confident in ways Hermione had never seen.

The goblin looked up, "Ah, young Master Potter, how can I be of service to you today?" the goblin asked with a sharp grin, easily seeing through his disguise.

Harry bared his teeth in a sharp smile as well. "I wish to visit the ancestral vaults. I need to look into some tomes."

The goblin looked faintly surprised. "This is the first time you have asked to visit the vaults." He picked out a pale yellow parchment. "A drop of blood on his parchment will summon the keys. You understand that since you are a minor, you cannot take the keys with you. Once you have finished your business, you must hand them over to me once again. Moreover, a goblin will accompany you. You cannot take anything out of the vault except for the books. Do you understand these conditions?"

Harry nodded, "I do." He confirmed before allowing the goblin to prick his finger and let the droplet of blood fall into the parchment.

The goblin took the scroll and nodded, "Harry James Potter, adopted son of James Charles Potter and Lily Rose Potter, Heir by magic to the Potter fortune. Vaults 957, 1058 and 715 inactive. Vault 687 active." The goblin nodded again before summoning the keys required. He absently offered it to Harry, "Golbog will open the vaults for you. They are high security vaults; you need a goblin with you."

When the keys from his hand were not taken, he looked up with a frown. Harry Potter was standing his front of him with his eyes narrowed and jaw clenched, "_Adopted_ son?" his voice came out in a tight hiss.

William came forward quickly, seeing Harry and Hermione's shock and understanding instantly that this was new information for them. He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, grounding him and the boy demanded explanation.

Rockhammer arched a brow at the reaction. "I presumed you knew. Haven't your parent's mentioned it in their wills?"

Harry shook his head, looking very pale. "No." he whispered, struggling to accept what he was being told. The parents he revered, the parents who had given their lives to save his were not his biological parents.

Harry face twisted in a grimace. If anything, the information only elevated their worth in his eyes. They had sacrificed their lives for a child they had adopted.

"Young Master Potter." The goblin interrupted his musings and offered him the keys. "The keys to the vaults."

Harry nodded and shakily accepted them. He was just about to leave with Golbog when Hermione spoke up. "Is there anyway that we can know who his biological parents were?"

The Potter turned to the goblin, nodded to indicate that he had the same question in mind. The goblin nodded in response, "Yes. This is a legal adoption; your birth parents can be easily discovered by the means of a spell."

"Legal adoption?" Harry asked faintly as the goblin summoned another one and asked for something to be brought to him.

"Adoption by magic only." Hermione said. "Most people in general use this type of adoption. However, old pureblood families tend to ignore the law and use the Blood-Magic adoption _ritual_. As you know, all blood rituals are banned hence such an adoption is considered illegal." She looked at Harry, "Potters adopted you legally and because of that you are the _adopted _son. If they had used the ritual, you would have been their son in everything. In name, in blood, in magic and in soul. It would be as though you were born to them."

Harry nodded slowly before looking at Rockhammer who had an inky black parchment in his hand. "This parchment is a controlled substance and very expensive. If you choose to use this, one thousand seven hundred galleons will be taken from your trust fund as payment." Harry nodded absently, knowing this his trust vault carried ten thousand galleons and every year, it was replenished if the amount was any less than that.

The goblin nodded and handed Harry the parchment and a dagger. "Allow your blood to thoroughly soak the parchment. I will perform the spell needed."

Harry paused, for a moment, uncertain. '_Do I really want to know?_' he thought for a moment before the true purpose of their visit to Gringotts came to his mind.

Grimly, he dragged the dagger against the flesh of his palm, wincing as blood emerged from the cut and fell onto the parchment. When the parchment was thoroughly soaked, the goblin let his hand hover over it, murmuring a spell in gobbledegook.

The parchment emitted a brilliant red glow for a long moment before the color turned pale blue. Slowly words written in silver ink started to appear on the black parchment.

_Name: Rhyian Thomas Riddle_

_Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle. Lord Baneraven. _

_Mother: Adrianna Malfoy-Riddle. (Deceased)_

_Godfather: Unnamed_

_Godmother: Unnamed_

_Adopted Name: Harry James Potter_

_Adopted father: James Charles Potter. Lord Potter._

_Adopted mother: Lily Rose Potter_

_Godfather: Sirius Orion Black. Lord Black._

_Godmother: Unnamed._

Harry's mouth went dry as he sank into his chair. His instincts had been correct. He shouldn't have attempted the spell. The knowledge left behind a sick feeling in his stomach. To know that the man who had been trying to kill him, the man who had tried everything to make his life miserable was his father…

He swallowed and looked at the goblin, "Are you certain that this is accurate?"

The goblin nodded, his eyes narrowed. "Yes. There is no doubt. That parchment will never lie. If I had not performed the spell correctly, it would have remained blank."

"Harry?" Hermione enquired softly, disturbed by the ashen look on her friend's face.

Harry swallowed nervously and handed the parchment to her. The moment she glanced at it, she gasped, her eyes wide as she understood the implications. Biting her lower lip, she tossed the parchment at her father and reached forward to hug him. "Oh Harry…" she whispered, combing her fingers soothingly through his hair.

"This is a nightmare." Harry whispered, almost trembling in her arms. "This has to be a nightmare."

Before Hermione could say anything to him, the goblin interrupted them. "I believe that a certain Regulus Black left behind something for a person named Rhyian Riddle." The goblin summoned a key with the snap of his fingers, "Seeing that that it your true name, this vault belongs to you."

"Regulus Black…" Harry whispered with a frown. Black meant he was someone from Sirius's family. As far as he knew, all of them were dark wizards and he knew that there could be a trap in the vault.

However, Regulus Black had used his real name. The name that identified him as the dark lord's son. He took the keys and blankly followed the goblin that led him to the vault. Hermione was by his side while William stayed behind. As a muggle, it was best if he did not venture down into the depths of Gringotts.

Regulus Black's vault was very close to the surface and it only required a key and it contained only three things, a letter, a locket and an old book with the title _Horcrux_ written on it.

"Golbog." Harry interrupted before they could travel deeper into Gringotts. "I would like to return to the surface. I would also like rent one of your private conference rooms. I feel a need to read this… _urgently._" Hermione frowned at him in concern but Harry shook his head.

Golbog nodded and silently escorted them to the surface before taking them, along with Hermione's father to one of the conference rooms.

"Harry, is something the matter?" Hermione asked as the door closed and all the privacy spells on the room activated.

Harry stayed silent, sitting down and opening the letter. He knew this was important. He somehow _knew_ that the letter was the answer to most of his questions.

"_Young Master,_

_I, the humble servant of your father, Lord Voldemort have stolen you away from him. I have taken you away, away from your rightful place by his side. I may have contributed to the madness that plagues him these days, I may have made the situation worse but I believe that I have no choice._

_Master, I beg for your forgiveness but I have concealed your identity and given you away to a family that would most certainly oppose the Dark Lord. I have done so for the sake of our world but more so for the sake of your father._

_I intend to cause you no harm. I intend to serve the Dark Lord with every ounce of strength left in my body. However, your father has committed a grave, grave mistake._

_Horcrux is evil beyond imagination. It is blasphemy, against magic, against nature. To create a Horcrux is to rip a piece of your own soul and seal it in an object, supposedly to gain immortality. However, to create just one Horcrux has unimaginable consequences but to create six?_

_Your father has created six and it had made him inhuman and unnatural. The ideals that we had admired him for have disappeared in the darkness of insanity. You may not know but for a long time all known families with the power to influence the government accepted his ideals. These included the Potter, Longbottom and so many other light-inclined families. His power and charm persuaded them to let go of their prejudices, to recognize the truth of magic, to unite all magical beings and creatures._

_He tried so much to take the non-violent route. He used the political influence of the Malfoys, the Blacks, the Potters, the Longbottoms to implements his ideals but all in vain. He realized then that the ministry was beyond corrupt and Albus Dumbledore was well past his prime. He realized that the ministry needed to be taken down and reconstructed._

_However, his great vision turned into something bloody and violent as the consequences of creating the Horcruxes caught up with him. He became a monster who wishes for dominance and bloodshed. He turned from someone who commanded respect to someone who gloried in fear._

_You, his only son and heir, can save him. You can correct the mistake that he made. You can heal his soul, young master. I have taken you away from his influence so that you could be able to help him, so that you are not blinded by loyalty and would be willing to do what is right._

_There are many in your father's services who are suffering. They pledged their wands to him when they realized that his vision was strong and good for the society that they were trying to save. His insanity affects not only him but also his followers and their families._

_I pray that you have your mother's kind heart. There is an old lore in my family that says that a child that is reminiscent of his father in looks shall inherit his mother's nature. You are his son, from the color of your eyes and the curl of your hair to the paleness of your skin and the aristocratic arch of your brows. However, her heart shines in your gaze and this is why I beg you to assist us, young master. _

_I will not lie to you; the process is quite painful. It is detailed in the book that accompanies this letter. You are my last hope. His power is beyond what we can challenge. I will not lie that you father will survive. Indeed, there is a chance that he may not. However, there is a chance that he will survive, without the insanity that plagues him._

_Please, young master. I beg of you. It is my last wish for I know that I will not survive long. A traitor doesn't survive long._

_I regretfully leave the fate of your father and of our world, in your hands._

_With warmest regards,_

_Regulus Black."_

Harry combed his fingers through his hair in agitation and leaned back in his chair. "I had not, even in my wildest dreams, imagined that my life could get so much out of control." He whispered, "The son of the Dark Lord…" he laughed mirthlessly, "And both sides expect me to save them."

Hermione was concentrated on read the marked pages on the book. "Harry, we cannot possibly do this on our own." She whispered, "Even if we were able to understand what these runes mean, neither of us is capable enough to execute such complicated magic without some assistance." She placed at book in front of him and pointed out several things, "Since you are Voldemort's son and heir and belong to an ancient magical family, you are connected to him deeply through your blood and magic. Essentially, what this spell does is summons all of Voldemort's Horcruxes from their vessels. It seems that the locket is a Horcrux as well. You will have to use that as an anchor and summon the other pieces through it. It then forces the pieces of your father's soul to pass _through_ you and use that connection to reach Voldemort. Since your intentions are to save your father's soul, the spell will force those pieces into his body." She grimaced, "This is bound to cause him a lot of pain and drain a significant amount of magic from you."

Harry studied the spell described intensely, nothing with dismay that they also required a potion. "You are right. We cannot do this on our own. Whom do we ask for help? This is definitely a dark spell and that leaves out the Weasleys. We need someone who will go neither to Dumbledore nor to Voldemort." He narrowed his eyes, "I don't know whom to trust. Snape briefly crosses my mind but he would rather cut of his own limb than assist us. Moreover, it is very likely that he will go straight to Dumbledore, Hermione."

She nodded, biting her lower lip when suddenly her eyes landed on the inky parchment that contained the proof of Harry lineage. "How about Mr. Malfoy?"

Harry stilled, his eyes narrowed. He read the parchment once again, his mother's name gaining his attention. "Adrianna Malfoy-Riddle." He read, his voice a slight whisper.

Hermione leaned forward, "I remember you telling me that Mr. Malfoy seemed very nervous and hesitant when Voldemort summoned him to the graveyard. Maybe we can convince him to assist us."

Harry grimaced at the thought to dealing with that man but Hermione did have a point.

"There is something that neither of you are considering." Hermione's father interrupted before they could discuss further. The two children looked at him in question and he frowned grimly. "Your professor is bound to check on Harry sometime soon. It is best that we get this matter resolved as quickly as possible." He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time for lunch. "You have only two days. Your friend Ronald informs us that every three days, a guard comes to check up on you. One came yesterday so you have until tomorrow evening to resolve the matter before you would need to return to the Dursleys."

Harry gritted his teeth is annoyance before sighing. "Hermione, I think I should deal with Malfoy alone." She nodded in understanding when he looked at her pointedly. "I will use one of the Gringotts owls to send him a letter and see if he can meet me now. You should head home."

William frowned, "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded, "Mr. Malfoy is a prejudiced person and it is best not to agitate him when I require his help. I would rather not have you be subjected to his sneering. I will be alright, Mr. Granger."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Summary: Hermione was always regarded as the smartest witch of her generation. Her intelligence cost Albus Dumbledore dearly while Harry gained something precious.**

**Warnings: Harry Potter and Twilight crossover (Not for a while though.) Slash. Completely AU from the Goblet of Fire onwards.**

**Pairings: Edward Cullen/Harry Potter, Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale/Emmett Cullen, Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/Undecided**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

**Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. They were very encouraging. I wished to tell you that the Twilight/HP crossover will not occur for at least four to five more chapters. Moreover, I am a firm believer in letting mysteries be unraveled in their own time. There will be some unanswered questions and doubts but as the story progresses, they will be answered. Please be patient.**

**On the thought of Ron being paired with Viktor Krum, I will consider it. Thank you for your suggestion.**

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"_Mr. Malfoy,_

_You may be surprised to receive a letter from me however; I find myself in a bind and am forced to take this step. I have recently stumbled upon some information and I feel that it may interest you as well. I will say only this._

_Adrianna Malfoy-Riddle._

_Presently, I am at Gringotts and I know you are a busy man. Nevertheless, I would appreciate it if you could meet me at Gringotts within an hour. I am waiting in conference room number eight. I can guarantee that this information will interest you. I also give you my word that this is not a trap. I have selected Gringotts for our meeting since it is a neutral ground._

_However, if you are busy, please inform me if you would be able to spare time for a meeting before tomorrow night._

_I would be much obliged._

_Regards,_

_Harry James Potter."_

Harry cringed when he reread the letter, realizing how informal and unsophisticated it sounded. However, he had no time for propriety. With a sigh, he walked toward the teller at the front of Gringotts. "Excuse me; I would like to use your owl-post services to deliver this letter to Mr. Lucius Malfoy urgently."

The goblin took the letter from Harry with a nod, "It will cost you ten sickles."

Harry simply shrugged at the price, watching as the goblin summoned the Gringotts owl and sent his letter all. "If that is all Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, thank you. If Mr. Malfoy does arrive, please inform him allow him to enter the conference room I am currently using." Harry stated politely before walking towards the interior section of the bank.

"You can't help but disobey orders, can't you, Potter?"

Harry stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he turned around. Sure enough, Severus Snape was standing in front of him with his arms crossed and a sneer of distaste on his face. "A nice disguise, Potter. At least you are using a bit of common sense. However, those who have the misfortune of seeing you everyday will recognize you. Your voice is just as grating as always. Your posture just as slouched and disgraceful as it has always been. Simple muggle glasses do not detract a person from your eyes. The shape of your face and your height hasn't changed either." Severus pointed out.

Harry grit his teeth, "Not everyone is a spy, Professor Snape." He hissed disdainfully.

The Potion's master narrowed his eyes before grasping Harry's shoulder, "I distinctly remember the Headmaster telling you that you mustn't leave you house _for your own safety_." He pulled Harry along with him towards the exit of the bank, "Brats like you should be watched more thoroughly. It seems you have escaped our notice, however, let me assure you that it would not happen again."

Before Severus could pull him along any further, Harry grasped his hand and stopped him. "I am here on business."

Severus sneered, "I don't care. Whatever business it is, I am sure it is not as important as you think it is. Either you can come willingly or I can stun you. You choose, Potter."

"_Snape._" Harry's voice emerged in the form of a sharp hiss that froze Severus in his place. "I don't have the patience to deal with you." He scowled before grabbing the professor's hand forcefully and dragging him into the interior of Gringotts. "I had decided that I would not tell you this but since you are going to drag me off to Dumbledore, I have no choice."

"Potter…"

"I am no Potter." He whispered, his vice-like grip tightening on the older man's wrist. "Just this once, shut up and listen to me. I don't care if you hate me, I am not about to let you ruin my plans." Icy green eyes glared into inky black, "Your willful blindness is not something I am in the mood to deal with."

Severus' lips twitched, as he looked at the delicate little fingers wrapped around his wrist. Did the boy really think he could over-power a grown man with such fragile strength? He indulged the brat. He will see what Potter thought was so important and if it turned out to be a waste of his time, he would make certain that Potter got the punishment he deserved.

They arrived at a conference room and Harry pushed Severus in with a scowl before shutting the door and tossing the black parchment at the professor.

Severus arched a brow at the parchment, recognizing it for what it was. Narrowing his eyes at the boy, he unfolded it and read its contents.

"_Merlin._" Severus whispered, collapsing into a chair in shock. He paled as he hurriedly waved his wand at the parchment, watching as it glowed white, confirming that it was genuine.

The potion's master looked up at the boy sitting in front of him, studying his grim features with a disturbed frown. "Pott…" he paused before shaking his head, "Potter, what are you going to do with this information? You cannot just waltz into the Dark Lord's lair and proclaim to be his son. You will be killed before you even open your mouth."

Harry glared at him. "I am not that stupid." He snapped before handing him Regulus' letter and the old book. "You think that I can just sit tight and forget about everything, letting Dumbledore _guide_ me into his own battles?"

Severus stayed silent as he read Regulus' letter before reading the marked pages in the book.

For a long while, neither spoke a word. Harry sat in his seat, his leg twitching sporadically in agitation. His eyes were narrowed and fierce. His countenance pale as well, looking strained.

Severus leaned back, gathering his thoughts. He could have gone to Dumbledore but he knew that if he did, he would only prolong the struggle, inevitably causing more harm than good. Going to the Dark Lord wasn't an option either. Regulus was correct, the Lord was insane.

"Are you going to perform the spell?" He asked after a while, his voice low and cautious.

Harry looked at him before nodding. "Yes."

Severus looked over the details of the spell, especially the potion. "You will never be able to do this on your own." Black eyes narrowed, "You may be better at potions than I imply but this is mastery level. This is a _Cold Potion_, a potion that needs to be prepared swiftly and without the use of heat."

Harry frowned, "I know. I wasn't planning on doing this alone."

Severus arched a brow, "And who, pray tell, is capable of assisting you?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

Severus stilled before a slow smirk formed on his lips. "Your uncle." He murmured in amusement while Harry glanced at him sharply, "Oh… you didn't know? Your mother, Adrianna Malfoy was Lucius' little sister. You are his nephew."

Harry sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. "And she married the Dark Lord. Was she forced into it?"

Severus scoffed, "Hardly. She was a Malfoy. All Malfoys have lamia blood in them. They have mates. The Dark Lord happened to be her mate."

Harry cursed loudly and stood, his face carved in rage. "Bloody perfect! There is something wrong with this world! Nothing is straightforward. Everything is cloaked in lies and deceit. As if this shit is not enough. Now I am going to receive a set of pointed ears and fangs when I turn seventeen!"

Severus arched his brow but refrained from commenting. The young man was agitated as it is and Severus knew that Harry's accidental magic was particularly powerful. He had no desire to be on the receiving end of that.

There was a knock and Harry visibly tried to calm himself. Severus walked over to the door, already knowing who was on the other side. He opened the door with a slight smirk. "Hello Lucius."

The aristocratic blonde arched a brow in surprise, "Severus, I had not expected you to be here." He glanced over Severus' shoulder at the pacing Harry Potter, recognizing him despite his disguise and narrowed his eyes, "What is this all about, Mr. Potter?"

Harry paused before snatching the black parchment from the desk and tossing it at the Malfoy lord.

Lucius glanced at Severus, who seemed to have lost his earlier humor and was staring at him grimly. Lucius cautiously unfolded the parchment and arched his brow in surprise at the very first sentence. His he read further, his eyes widened, his fingers tightening on his cane. "You are Adrianna's son." He whispered faintly, disbelief clearly written on his features. "You are Rhyian."

"So it seems." Harry said stiffly before gesturing toward the desk, "There is more. A whole lot more. I am lost. You guys are the adults here… tell me, what am I supposed to do?"

Lucius came forward and quickly read Regulus' letter and the book before glancing gravely at Severus. "Can you make this potion? These runes are familiar. I would only need a few hours to memorize them and understand their significance." He placed a heavy hand on Harry's shoulder and forced him to sit down. "Stay still child." He murmured distractedly, "We will work this out."

Harry scowled but didn't interrupt. Severus took a spare parchment and noted down the ingredients he needed to make the potion. "I need to make a trip to Knockturn for these ingredients." He looked at Harry with a slight scowl, "You need to eat something. It is best that we perform the ritual in the Gringotts ritual chamber. Before that, we need to remove the influence of Potter's adoption potion from you."

"Rhyian." Harry frowned at the name but turned his attention toward Lucius nonetheless, "Once you take the cleansing potion, you will no longer be Harry Potter and since both James and Lily Potter are dead, you cannot change your mind and try to become Harry Potter again."

Harry paled a bit. That was not a decision he wanted to make. He had been Harry all his life and to change that…

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His life was taking a drastic turn. He could simply ignore the events but he realized that there was no turning back. He was never meant to be Harry Potter. Escaping the Harry Potter identity meant that he would not longer be the Boy-Who-Lived. He could be a normal person, living a normal life.

After all, even if Voldemort survived and regained his sanity, there was no need for him to know that Harry was his son. He could be Rhyian and escape all the mess that his life was.

"We best hurry." Harry said finally, looking into his newfound uncle's eyes. "Professor Snape will tell you, there are guards who check on me every three days."

Severus nodded and swept out of the room while Lucius sat down and started pouring over the book that Regulus left behind. He scribbled down and incantation on a parchment and passed it on to Harry. "Memorize that."

Harry looked down at the parchment before looking at Lucius through his lashes. "You seem to be adjusting well."

Lucius' jaw clenched. "Your mother left your protection in my hands when she died. Seeing that you ended up with the Potters, kidnapped from your own home by a person we trusted, I failed in my duty." Silver eyes glanced at him, "I am not adjusting. I am trying to ignore the fact that I might have caused my own nephew's death and did raise my wand against him with the intention to harm."

Harry stilled, unable to say anything that would sound remotely intelligent. He looked at the parchment and set about memorizing the incantation. He paused when another thought struck him and wondered if it was appropriate to ask.

He peered at Lucius uncertainly before posing his question. "How did she die? I mean… Prof. Snape told me that Malfoys are Lamia so…"

"She had given birth to you and hadn't yet recovered when a werewolf attacked her and was able to kill her." Lucius grimaced, "I have never seen the Dark Lord so furious. When he lost you, he lost what remained of his sanity."

"What do you mean? I would imagine that he was a notorious personality even before I was born." Harry stated with a frown.

Lucius bowed his head gracefully. "You are correct but with you, he was unerringly gentle." His uncle looked at him piercingly, "Only with you. He was very possessive of you. How Regulus was able to slip past _him_ to kidnap you is beyond me."

Harry frowned, "I cannot imagine Voldemort as a father."

Lucius flinched a bit at the blatant use of the Dark Lord's name before turning his attention toward the book. "In time, you will come to see him as exactly that."

"I doubt it. There is too much bad blood between us now."

Lucius glanced at him, silver eyes calculating. "There is very little you know about your father, Rhyian."

Harry placed his head on the desk with a tired sigh before telling Lucius everything he and Hermione had discussed since morning. The Malfoy Lord listened to everything in silence, abandoning the book for a moment, his eyes intent on his nephew.

"… I mean, it is not like he was easy to trust." Harry said with a shrug, "In the first year itself, when he sent me back to the muggles, I realized that I couldn't rely on him. Second year, I visited Gringotts and enquired if the Potters had a lawyer or something because I was certain that there would have been some sort of will. All throughout my first year I kept hearing everyone say that Potters were old, rich purebloods. I wanted to know more. I found that they did leave behind a will and that told me a lot of things." He scowled a little, "Dumbledore keeps evading questions and that makes him suspicious but because I know so little about this world, I realized that there was nothing I could do until I was an adult. That didn't mean that I trusted him. I trusted no one. Snape was a git. Prof. McGonagall always seemed to dismiss us, thinking that we were just children who were up to mischief. Other teachers… well, let's just say that they weren't concerned with us."

"You have had a fair number of adventures." Lucius commented.

Harry nodded, "That's true. Since Dumbledore _wanted _to test me, it is not surprising that I got into so much trouble. The thing is, I wasn't so surprised by the information that Hermione dug up. The whole Goblet thing was just too suspicious to ignore."

Lucius narrowed his eyes, "You are taking this well."

Harry scoffed, "You think?" he looked a bit hysterical as he buried his face in his arms. "Lord no. I am going to solve this mess and then run. I know it. I am tired of this life. Voldemort being my father…" He paused and took a deep breath, "I don't want to even consider it. I don't care if he turns out to be an angel in disguise. I want to leave. Just leave and find somewhere where I can be _normal_."

"And you think that the Dark Lord or I for that matter; will simply let you leave." Lucius asked with a raised brow.

"Why not?" Harry asked. "As far as I know, I have no special powers that would be of any use to Voldemort. I don't want to get involved in this war. I won't oppose him. Nothing is going to make me stand against him even if I don't want to be his son, I am. As for you, why would you care? After this spell, you will have either a restored Dark Lord or a dead one. Either way, you escape his insanity. You don't need me."

Lucius looked faintly amused. "You really do not know your father's nature or mine."

Harry arched a brow at him, "Look, seeing how Draco tends to behave, I can safely state that despite all appearances, you are a doting parent. Therefore, I won't say you are heartless or something silly like that. Nevertheless, Mr. Malfoy, I find it hard to believe that you would give a damn about me even if I were your sister's son. As for Voldemort, well, I may not know his nature but I know that he made his first Horcrux at the age of sixteen. Making a Horcrux involves killing and some other, very gruesome acts that I would rather not know about. That in itself tells me that he is no saint. Despite all his noble ideals and whatnot, he is a murderer and a very violent person. I don't have any reason to believe that he would be a good father."

Lucius observed him for a long while before inclining his head a little, "I will concede for now."

Before they could take their discussion any further, Snape walked into the room with a fierce scowl on his face. "Lucius, we need to take this to your manor. I didn't get some of the ingredients needed and I am sure that I would find them in your personal stores. It would be best if I use the potion's lab in the manor." He glanced at Harry with a frown, "A few of Dumbledore's _friends_ are in the alley today, including Moody. He would recognize Potter in an instant."

Harry sat up; looking troubled, "But Malf… I mean Draco will be there and I don't want him to know anything about this!"

Severus sneered at him, "Well, you don't have a choice, b-"

"Enough Severus." Lucius interrupted him with a frown. "Rhyian, I will see to it that Draco is unaware that you are in the manor. Narcissa will assist me in the matter." He handed Severus a pouch of gold. "This is for the goblins. Take care of everything here while I take him home. I will open the floo for you."

Severus glared at Harry whose lips had twitched a little at Lucius' stern reprimand before spinning on his heel and walking away.

Harry snickered but became silent when Lucius sent him a sharp glance. "I would appreciate it if you try not to antagonize him. He happens to be our cousin's godfather."

The younger boy crossed his arms. "No matter how childish it sounds, I will say it. _He started it!_"

Lucius raised a brow before steering Harry towards the door with a frown. "Hmm. When it finally sinks in just whose son he is insulting, there is a chance that he will stop."

Harry cast a skeptical look in his direction but did not comment on it. "We must take the floo together." Lucius said grabbed a fistful of floo powder as they stood in front of the public floo portal at Gringotts.

Harry allowed the man to grasp onto his shoulder and they stepped into the floo together with Lucius whispering the address in a low, almost inaudible voice.

As soon as they stepped into the Malfoy manor, Lucius called a house-elf.

"What can Dolly do for you, Master?"

Lucius dusted his clothes after steadying Harry and looked at the house-elf piercingly. "Prepare the guest chambers closest to the Master suite immediately. Be discreet. I do not want Draco to know of our guest and make certain that the boy doesn't venture anywhere near the guest-rooms, potion's lab and the ritual room for at least a day." The house-elf nodded and Lucius continued, "Ask Narcissa to come to my study immediately and alone and make sure that the floo in open for Severus Snape to pass through. You are dismissed."

The elf bowed, "Yes master."

Lucius turned to Harry and gestured him to follow, "Come on."

Harry ran to keep up with Lucius' long and swift strides and soon found himself in a large, beautifully decorated study.

The younger boy sat down on a comfortable looking chair and leaned back with his eyes closed. He was succeeding in closing off his own emotions, pushing away the gradually rising panic but he didn't know how long he could detach himself from the situation. He didn't know how long he could hold in the urge to scream.

There was a prolonged silence as Lucius worked on understanding the runes while Harry simply sat in the cozy chair, slowly bringing himself under control.

The peace was broken when an elegant woman walked into the study, pausing when she spotted Harry before turning to her husband with a raised brow. "Lucius?"

There was a sigh. "Narcissa, please have a seat. There is much that I have to tell you."

Narcissa Malfoy looked at Harry, not recognizing him for who he was before turning her attention towards her husband. The child was not speaking after all. It was almost as though Harry was asleep.

Slowly, Lucius explained everything to Narcissa, beginning from Harry's letter to him to the revelations regarding his parentage.

"_Oh Merlin…_" her soft whisper brought Harry out of his thoughts. He found himself gazing into light blue eyes. She was observing him, her eyes unsuccessfully trying to find any trace of the Dark Lord and his mother on his features. She looked distinctly unsettled, "Rhyian, what was left of your father _died_ the moment you were taken away." She whispered, walking towards him and kneeling in front of him, "I cannot believe that we have found you at last."

"_He_ found us, I believe." Lucius drawled, looking amused when Harry panicked eyes landed on him. The boy did not know how to deal with Narcissa's obvious affection for him.

"Lucius, what are we going to do? He is _Harry Potter_ as well. He cannot just disappear but we cannot have him living with a _muggle_ family! What a disgrace. The Slytherin Heir living with muggles." Harry flinched, acutely reminded of the fact that he was now related to a man he despised.

"Narcissa." Lucius sent her a quelling look. "There are other, more important, facts that we must keep in mind. Look at our nephew, my love. I cannot fathom him living in proper conditions and brought up as a child is supposed to be, with all the care and affection needed."

Harry scowled at Lucius when the woman turned her attention back towards him, her keen eyes taking in the state of his health. He winced when her eyes landed on his arms that were pale, thin and very frail looking. "_Oh._"

Harry cursed in his mind when her eyes narrowed when she inspected his callused fingers, obviously indicative of hard labor that he was forced to perform while cleaning the house and gardening. It was a small relief that he was dressed properly and his old, broken eyeglasses had been discarded. Still, he was hard to miss his slender form when it was compared to Draco's impressively developing body and height.

"Draco mentioned something about this…" She whispered.

Lucius nodded, "Yes. However, seeing these facts do not induce me to send Rhyian back to the muggles either but Dumbledore is keeping watch and we cannot let him suspect anything. For Rhyian's sake, the headmaster must be kept ignorant."

Harry scowled, "You _could_ ask me for _my_ opinion!"

"Hush now." Narcissa immediately reprimanded him, all too accustomed to such whining tones coming from her son to take him seriously. She frowned, her eyes calculating. "Lucius, I recall that Lily Potter was pregnant and I did witness her child being named Harry Potter, looking alive and well." She looked at her husband piercingly, "Where is _that_ child and why was our Rhyian made to be a clone of him?"

Lucius paused and Harry looked at her, his eyes wide in shock and mild horror.

"I do not know." The Malfoy Lord said slowly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "I do recall the child as well. James Potter was accustomed to showing off his heir. I encountered him with his young family at the ministry one evening. The child must have been a few months old then… Rhyian had just been born that morning…"

"Oh Merlin… what is this mess?" Harry whispered in confusion, looking helpless. "Was I used as some sort of replacement? What happened to the real Harry Potter… were my pa… were the Potters really aware that I wasn't their son?"

"Of that, there is no doubt." Lucius answered immediately, "They adopted you and that cannot be falsified. The fact that James Potter did not blood adopt you is quite telling." The older wizard leaned back with a frown, "He may pretend to dismiss pureblood customs, but I know James Potter was very bit of a pureblood as I am. He was shrewd and as cunning as the best of Slytherin. Evans may have been smart but James was…"

"Exceptional." Narcissa finished for him, her voice soft. "If he really desired Rhyian to be his son, he would have used the blood-adoption ritual despite his wife's objections and ignorance."

Harry took a deep breath, "What is going on?"

"Considering that all three parties involved are dead, we may never find out what exactly happened." Lucius frowned, looking down at the letter Regulus had written with slight anger. "We will have to assume that the real Harry Potter is either dead or missing. We cannot concern ourselves with that as of now."

Narcissa looked at Harry thoughtfully before reaching forward and feeling a strand of his hair, "Rhyian dear, did you change the color of your hair?"

Harry eyed her in confusion and nodded, "I used muggle hair color."

She tsked and waved her wand at his head, muttering a charm under her breath. Once his hair was back to its original color, she spoke, "I have a solution to our problem. I will need a few strands of your hair and a vial of your blood."

Lucius looked on as Harry complied. Well, she had basically handed him the vial and arched a brow in a manner that all mothers seemed to inherit when they became mothers. Wordlessly, Harry handed over the vial and a few strands of his hair to Narcissa. The elegant woman stood and glanced at her husband. "I will be making a doppelganger that will be Harry Potter while Rhyian continues on with his life in any manner that he wishes."

Lucius instinctively concealed his reaction. He knew what Narcissa was talking about. She was going to dabble into _ancient_ dark magic. It was the Black family's secret. They knew spells that even the oldest and the most learned wizards would not have heard of or encountered.

She had refused to share that valuable knowledge with Lucius even though he was her husband.

He glanced at the child who was sitting silently in the chair as Narcissa walked out of the room and decided that he would not reveal that small fact to Rhyian. The child had very little understanding of the true nature of Dark magic and he did not wish to unsettle him more than he already was.

In time, the Dark Lord will teach his son everything that he needed to know.

It was a long time before Severus walked into the study. It was obvious to Lucius that he had gone directly to the Potion's lab. The Malfoy Lord was engrossed in the runes while Harry was indulging in a light lunch with an anxious house-elf hovering by his side, ready to take any requests.

Severus came to stand in front of Harry, "Take this potion, boy." He handed a vial of light blue potion at him, "This will negate the affects of the adoption and turn you back to who you were meant to be."

Harry looked at the bottle uncertainly and Lucius gazed at him with a small frown, "We can wait until tomorrow morning, if you wish Rhyian."

Severus sneered and was about to comment but Harry interrupted him by opening the vial and consuming its contents. Lucius cursed uncharacteristically and in a blur was in front of Harry before the boy would blink. "Severus! Do you need to provoke him and act like a petulant child?" Lucius hissed furiously before turning his attention towards his nephew, who was twitching on the chair, his face twisted in pain.

"I did nothing." Severus scowled, "He consumed it without any warning."

"Yes." Lucius sneered, "And it had nothing to do with the fact that you would not give a distraught, overwhelmed child a moment's worth of peace."

Harry let out a pained whimper, wrapping his arms around his stomach with a low moan. "He is used to discomfort and pain. You need not coddle him." Severus said seriously.

The Malfoy lord glared at his friend, "Just because he is accustomed to it, does not mean that we must add to it. You know that this potion is best taken an hour _after_ eating. _Not_ during his meal."

Severus narrowed his eyes, "If the brat had a little patience, he would have not drank that potion without waiting for instructions. He will feel sick but there will be no adverse effects."

Lucius scowled at him but turned his attention towards Harry, watching the boy pale to such an extent that his lips looked blue.

The change seemed painful. Harry muscle-culture, his bone structure, his hair, his skin and just about everything about him seemed to change. In a way, he still somewhat resembled Harry Potter but very vaguely, as one unrelated person would resemble another. The boy's eyes were clenched shut but Lucius knew that they would be a pale, stunning green that he inherited from his father.

For a long moment, the child stayed still, his eyes shut and his body in a fetal position. He was shivering, small whispers of pain escaping him as the transformation reached its completion.

Slowly, Harry moved, wincing every now and then. Uncoiling himself, he blinked open his eyes and moaned lowly when his head throbbed. He bowed, combing his fingers through his hair as he took a deep, shuddering breath as he analyzed what he felt.

"That was unpleasant." He whispered, his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and blinked, his vision blurry, "One would think that my half-blindness was a Potter curse." He murmured as he took his eyes glasses and placed him on his nose, sighing when he could see clearly.

Lucius observed his nephew keenly while Severus almost recoiled with a sharp hiss. There was no doubt that the child in front of him was Tom Riddle's son. Everything about him resembled the Dark Lord. When the boy sat up and combed his fingers through his hair, Lucius noticed that the jet-black wavy hair had a few of Adrianna's curls in it. The eyes peering through those eyeglasses were a piercing pale green that Lucius knew was unnatural, even for a wizard or lamia. Those eyes were unique to the Slytherin line.

"How do you feel?" Lucius asked, tracing the new features with a frown.

Harry rubbed his arms, a scowl on his lips, "Sore."

"That is to be expected." Severus stated but there was an undertone to his voice that hadn't been there before. It was as though he had finally realized that Harry Potter was actually Rhyian Riddle. "The other potion will take me a while to prepare. It is best that you take a nap. We will perform the ritual tonight, if that is acceptable to you." Severus stated neutrally.

Harry looked at his potion's professor oddly before nodding, turning to Lucius in question.

"Dolly." The Malfoy Lord called as Harry stood on unsteady legs, gripping the back of the chair as he tried to adjust with the changes in his body. A frown marred his regal features when he realized that he wouldn't be able to move about as smoothly as he used to. His legs were longer, his arms and fingers seemed longer as well. He stood awkward, dreading to take even a single step lest he fall.

"Yes master?"

Lucius gazed at Harry with a frown, "Take Rhyian to the guest chamber I asked you to prepare. I presume it is ready?" the house-elf nodded frantically. "Take him… he won't be able to walk properly."

Dolly looked at Harry uncertainly, "Is Dolly allowed touching Master Rhyian?" Harry nodded absently. The elf tentatively grasped onto the fabric of his trousers and both of them disappeared.

* * *

"… is ready." Narcissa's soft voice greeted his ears as Harry slowly came to consciousness. "We simply need to ask Rhyian to transfer his memories into the doppelganger and it should be ready."

"Are you certain that it is undetectable?" The ever-cautious Severus asked.

He could feel her fingers combing through his hair soothingly and wondered, not for the first time, where the haughty and remote looking woman had gone. "Yes." She answered, "The reason why the spell is not used often for spying if because he requires the consent of the person we wish to impersonate. The blood and the hair must be willingly donated as well the memories. If the person is under Imperius curse or any other influence, it would not work."

"Memories?" Harry asked groggily as Narcissa turned to him.

"Yes." She answered as she handed him a glass of water to drink, "The doppelganger is currently a blank slate. We will transfer a copy of all your memories into it and those memories will give it a personality similar to yours. Moreover, since it would have your memories, it would be easy for the doppelganger to take your place at Hogwarts without rousing any suspicion."

Harry looked at her in awe, "Wow. So you mean that it is a perfect clone of me?"

"Don't be stupid." Severus stated with a sneer, "It is a passable copy of you. It will not have the same amount of power and skills that you have. I doubt the clone will be able to cast a Patronus or be able to speak Parseltongue."

Narcissa nodded, "That is correct. Rhyian, your skills and magic are things that cannot be replicated. The doppelganger will just have to find ways to go around it."

Harry frowned, "But… aren't my skills an intrinsic part of me? I think Dumbledore will notice."

Severus shook his head, "_Dumbledore_ may not but your friends definitely will."

The child waved his hand dismissively, "Hermione already knows about all this. _She_ was the one who came to be this morning, suspecting the Headmaster's motives and the Dark Lord's true purpose. She knows that I am his son."

Severus stilled and narrowed his eyes, "And how do you suspect you will be able to hide your identity from others when you cannot keep your secrets!"

"I trust Hermione with my life!" Harry snapped, "And Ron too. He may come off as a jealous prat but he is loyal. They are not perfect but they are my _friends!_ Not that _you_ know anything about friends." Harry sneered, "You scare everyone away and live like a pitiful hermit, miserably alone!"

"Rhyian, that's enough." Narcissa stated calmly. "You have no right to speak to someone in such a manner."

Harry crossed his arms and glared at the fuming potion's master. "Yes, _I_ have no rights but _he _can abuse me whenever he wants. He has the right to bully a first year simply because he holds a grudge against the child's father. _He_ has the right to make a child's life difficult, to hamper his education, to deliberately goad and take points from a child not even half his age!" He turned to Narcissa with a scowl, his eyes blazing, "Before Hogwarts, muggle Science was my _favorite_ subject to study. I was looking forward to Potions because a it was almost like Chemistry, something that I was very eager to learn. I didn't understand much from the potion's text because I had no magical background reference books that Prof. McGonagall gave all Muggle-borns. I was _brimming_ with questions. _He…_" he gestured toward Snape sharply, "put me off potions permanently because of his childish attitude. How is that forgivable, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Severus narrowed his eyes while Narcissa frowned at him before turning to Harry. "Alright, Rhyian. We will talk about this later. For now, Lucius is in the process of preparing the ritual room. Dolly has the bath prepared for you. Get yourself cleaned and put on the robes Dolly has chosen for you."

Harry frowned as he looked down at his legs, moving them to test their mobility. They were still responding very sluggishly to his demands. Every inch of his body still felt sore.

"I will give you a potion for your soreness after the ritual." Severus commented neutrally. "You will have to adjust to your new body and no potion can help you do that. Some physical therapy will be required if you wish to regain your Quidditch reflexes."

Harry groaned, "Right." He muttered before standing unsteadily and stumbling towards the bathroom. "Let's just get this over with."

As the child left their sight, Narcissa frowned, looking at Severus, "He is going to run as soon as he recovers from the ritual."

Severus sat down and nodded. "He cherishes that anonymity the muggle world provides him. There was very little that held him back from leaving our world. Every year has been trying for him. Every year, he barely escapes with his own life. He has this opportunity to just leave, build and better, more peaceful life in the muggle world. He is not going to let that pass him by."

Narcissa looked at Severus questioningly, "What of his friends?"

Severus shrugged, "He can still be in contact with them. They will find a way to maintain their friendship even if they chose separate worlds to live in."

The Malfoy Lady hummed thoughtfully and leaned back in a seat, her eyes distant. "We must plan on how to deal with the possible repercussions of our actions, Narcissa." Severus said softly, "If the Dark Lord survives this… his reaction…"

"Could go either way." Narcissa whispered, "He could be supremely angry or pleased. However, he would know… he would know that Rhyian lives. There is no way around it and the first one he would approach with questions would be Lucius."

Severus nodded, "Should we tell him the truth?"

"Do we have a choice?" Narcissa asked softly, "As much as I would like for Rhyian to have his wish granted, I do not think that it would be wise to hide this information from our Lord. Severus…" she looked at him in the eye, "Do you remember his reaction when Rhyian was taken away? For a moment, I wondered anything would survive his wrath. He was so terrifyingly angry and yet so devastatingly _broken_. Every day that passed, as his hopes of finding his son diminished, we could see his deterioration."

Severus shook his head, "It is very unlikely that he would let the boy out of his sight."

Before Narcissa could comment, Lucius walked into the room, absently wiping some chalk dust from his fingers. "Where is Rhyian?"

"He is taking a bath." Severus answered before he gestured Lucius to take a seat. "Narcissa and I were discussing the possible repercussions we would face for our actions."

Lucius hummed, "Whatever we may face, we have to do this. The Dark Lord is on the verge of destroying everything he once tried to save. Afterwards, we will look at the consequences but I dare say, I do not think there would be many. _Especially_ if Rhyian is present."

Severus nodded, "We may escape his wrath if Rhyian is present. However-" Severus cut himself off when Harry walked out of the bathroom with his robes on and his hair wet. The child paused and looked at them, his eyes landing on Lucius with an inquisitive expression of his features.

"Everything is ready." Lucius stated, reading the expression correctly. "The question is, are you prepared?"

Harry paused, biting his lower lip thoughtfully before nodding decisively.

Lucius beckoned Harry to follow him. "I see you are moving with somewhat better ease than before."

The boy shrugged, "Hot water."

Lucius smirked at the nonchalant response before escorting Harry to the ritual room. "This will hurt."

Harry arched a brow, "_Hurt?_" he looked at his uncle with narrowed eyes, "I recall Prof. Snape once saying that the Skele-grow potion stings. If I apply the same logistics to your statement, am I to assume that the ritual with bring me blinding pain, the likes of which I have never suffered and that would put Cruciatus to shame and leave me feeling as though it is better to die?"

Lucius looked at him with an amused twinkle in his eye. "Ugh. Don't do that! That twinkle thing should be left to Dumbledore. The chilling Malfoy stare is much better suited for you, Mr. Malfoy."

The older wizard chuckled, "But of course, Rhyian. I _am_ the Malfoy Lord."

Harry grumbled something unsavory under his breath and Lucius smirked, "I happen to be a vampire, nephew. I heard that."

Rhyian scowled, "After this is all over, will you please tell me everything about the Lamia?"

"But of course." Lucius agreed gracefully, "You shouldn't worry about the details until you are seventeen but as I have done with Draco, I will tell you everything and give you certain books to read."

Harry grimaced at the mention of Draco. "You realize that Draco and I will probably never get along."

The Malfoy Lord smirked, "Don't say that with certainty. You are a very humble child. Mature and wise beyond your years while Draco is your exact opposite. He is arrogant with his head full of dreams and illusions. He is immature and very childish when he wants to be." Lucius shrugged as he opened the door to the ritual room, "He is our only child. A child that we were blessed with after great many difficulties. Eventually, he will grow up. Your influence will be a positive one. You have always been someone who humbles him."

Harry scowled at him, "You are going to make me get along with him, aren't you?"

Lucius gestured him to take his position amongst the runes. "I will try." The older wizard studied all the runes intently as he spoke, "You refused him something he desired, Rhyian. I am afraid, he developed a slight _affection_ for you. Draco was and still is a tad bit possessive of you even if you didn't encourage any sort of friendship. He did not cherish seeing you interact with others so he took his anger out on you and your friends. Anything to have your attention focused on him."

Harry paled, looking at his uncle with wide eyes, "Err… he has stopped now, right? Last I heard, he was sweet with some Slytherin girl…" he shrugged, "I don't like him that way…"

Lucius chuckled, "I should hope not. He is your cousin… a very close blood relationship stands between the two of you. No, he doesn't feel as he used to. The girl, I think, is Pansy Parkinson who showers a lot of attention of my child and Draco's ego is stroked by it."

Harry gave Lucius a dry look, "You realize that you are spoiling him thoroughly."

The older wizard shot him an amused look, "In such matters, my dear nephew, my hands are tied." At Harry's confusion, he continued, "No matter what you have heard, there is one thing that you must always believe, while I may be the Lord of the house, it is the Lady who rules."

Harry paused in his observations before bursting into laughter.

Lucius lips twitched as Harry relaxed completely and sat down on the floor, a wide web of runes circling him.

"Well, Rhyian. Let us begin. Merlin willing, we shall succeed."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Summary: Hermione was always regarded as the smartest witch of her generation. Her intelligence cost Albus Dumbledore dearly while Harry gained something precious.**

**Warnings: Harry Potter and Twilight crossover (Not for a while though.) Slash. Completely AU from the Goblet of Fire onwards.**

**Pairings: Edward Cullen/Harry Potter, Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale/Emmett Cullen, Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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The Riddle manor was a desolate place. It had fallen into disrepair over the years but there was something else that seemed to corrupt the very air that surrounded the regal home. Something that caused people to shy away from it or look upon it with fear that was deep and instinctual.

It was once a beautiful home of some very superficial people. Now it housed the Dark Lord.

Lord Voldemort sat in his study, staring into the roaring flames in the fireplace thoughtfully. Finally, after many years of being a bodiless spirit, he was at his full power once again. He did not care that his body was inhuman and that he followers now viewed at him with more disgust than respect.

They would learn their place soon.

He raised an arm and examined his black nails thoughtfully. He needed to make plans now that he was in full power. The fact that the ministry had denied his resurrection was another boon on his part. He could carry out his plans with great.

First order of business was to fetch his loyal death-eaters that were now imprisoned in Azkaban. Bellatrix had always been a favorite of his. He found her creative ways very entertaining.

He wondered briefly if the loss of the Slytherin manor would affect him. After his resurrection, he had not been accepted into the ancient estate. He had also been barred from the Gringotts vaults of his ancestors.

He was furious. He had been the first person in _hundreds _of years who had been judged worthy of being the Slytherin heir, not only by blood but by magic as well. He was the first amongst the descendents of Salazar Slytherin ever since Lord Edmund Slytherin, to bear the stunning green Slytherin eyes.

Of course, after him, his dear son quickly followed.

Suddenly, his inhuman features twisted into an expression that was entire too human. The loss of his child had been just as, if not more, painful than the loss of his mate.

Rhyian Thomas Riddle.

The name he had meticulously chosen for his heir. There was nothing ordinary about it. Nothing common and _muggle_. Rhyian was a glorious name for his little green-eyed miracle. Adrianna, had of course, agreed. He hadn't given her much of a choice in the matter.

_His son_ deserved the best.

The flames burning in the fireplace flickered dangerously as a chilling breeze circulated throughout the study. Voldemort suppressed his magic with a snarl when it responded to his rage. His magic always responded aggressively when he thought of his lost child.

Abruptly, he paused, his crimson eyes landing on six orbs of light that were suddenly hovering about him. Instantly, his hand went to his wand, ready to defend himself. However, before he could do anything, one of the orbs sped towards him, slamming into his chest, effectively paralyzing him with the sudden surge of magic.

For the next few moments, he could only watch helplessly as one after another, those orbs sank into his body. He felt no pain, only certain numbness and a monumental increase in his magic.

The last orb seemed to linger uncertainly before slamming into before.

There was a moment of complete stillness and Voldemort looked down at himself, baffled.

Suddenly, his body exploded in pain. A scream escaped him. A high, keening wail of absolute, unrelenting pain and he fell forward, colliding harshly with the floor. The pain wasn't merely physical, it went all the way to his soul. He was overwhelmed by the remorse he felt. He was drowning in sorrow, guilt and loathing. All his actions came into perspective. All the sins he had committed in his insanity assaulted him.

He had committed a crime against nature by splitting his soul into pieces and she was punishing him for it.

He sobbed, his hands fisted as he beat the ground, trying to cope with the sheer intensity of his torment.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the pain vanished, leaving him feeling hollow yet somehow complete.

He struggled feebly to sit up, his pale but human looking hands grasping at the floorboards fruitlessly as he tried to get his breathing under control.

Just when he thought his torment was over, he was assaulted again. This time, it was the memories of each Horcrux overwhelming his occlumency skills. He moaned low as he head throbbed, closing his handsome green eyes, his fingers grasping his jet-black hair painfully as he curled into himself, his face wet with tears.

There wasn't much to see or assimilate until the memories of his last, unintentional Horcrux came forth.

A raw, helpless sound escaped his lips as he viewed the memories of his nemesis. Of Harry James Potter. Watching as he grew under the uncaring gaze of his relatives, strangely relieved to note that the abuse was restricted to only a few moments of rough handling and harsh words.

He watched the child's first years in Hogwarts, smirking feebly when he realized that Harry Potter was supposed to be in Slytherin. That fitted the boy he had come to know. The cunning that others dismissed as sheer luck was decidedly Slytherin.

Everything seemed to be in order. He found the slow disillusionment of the Golden boy amusing. He found it satisfying to note that Dumbledore didn't have everyone fooled, much less his precious savior. Memories of the child's mudblood friend and her keen intelligence surprised him somewhat. Especially when he found out that she, a _mudblood_, of all people had been suspicious of Dumbledore's motives and questioning his own goals.

A strangled sound escaped him.

"_Rhyian…_"

In disbelief, he watched the events that happened in Gringotts, unsure about his response towards the involvement of Severus and Lucius and still reeling with shock. Harry Potter had been his son all along.

"Dear Salazar…" Voldemort whispered, his pale, shaking hand combing through his hair, "I nearly killed him." He realized, "_I nearly killed Rhyian._"

He lay on his back, gazing listlessly at the ceiling as he assimilated the memories. He felt weak. His body did not have the strength to move and his mind was hazy, too distracted to practice Occlumency and organize those memories.

"Twinky." He called hoarsely, wincing when a house-elf appeared beside him with a loud pop. "Take me to my bed and fetch the Dreamless Sleep potion from my potion's supply."

"Yes Master." The house-elf whispered submissively before snapping her fingers. Voldemort groaned as his aching body was deposited onto his soft bed and closed his eyes, waiting for the potion.

Twinky appeared by his bedside and anxiously handed him the potion. Voldemort observed the vial, absently checking its contents as he spoke. "Close the manor. Have all wards at full power. No one is permitted to enter until I am awake. If you find any of my servants being more insistent on entering or appearing concerned over my well being, assure them that I am fine and will summon them when they are needed."

Twinky bowed, "Yes master." Before disappearing from sight and leaving Voldemort to drink the potion and rest.

Voldemort observed the potion for a while before drinking it and relaxing. Once he recovered, he would go fetch his son.

* * *

Lucius and Severus stared at Draco, amused by his petulant demands to see their mysterious guest. Ever the Slytherin, the Malfoy heir had not taken long to find that there was a guest in the house and he was being ordered not to disturb that person. It was not as though he was eager to meet the guest; it was the fact that his father was being mysterious and secretive that caught his interest.

Before Draco could say anything else, Lucius stilled, his eyes narrowing.

"Lucius?" Severus asked in confusion while Draco looked at his father in concern.

The Malfoy lord paled and jumped to his feet abruptly, running out of the room. "Severus, our Lord is here."

Severus stilled before turning to Draco with a glare, "Draco, go to your room and stay there. Under no circumstances should you leave your room until either of your parents gives you permission to do so. Am I understood?"

Draco nodded seriously before running out of his father's study and into his own room. He had no desire to meet the Dark Lord.

Lucius hurried through the hallways of his manor, Severus right at his heels. With a flick of his wand, he opened the wards briefly, somewhat dreading the encounter. He exchanged panicked glances with Severus. It had been five days since they had performed the ritual and Rhyian had yet to awake from the coma he had slipped into. The Dark Lord had obviously survived the ritual and there was no telling what his reaction would be.

Both of them stood by the entrance of the Malfoy Manor as a tall, _powerful_ figure appeared before them. Severus and Lucius exchanged meaningful glances.

The Dark Lord's power had _increased._

"_Luciusss…_" The Malfoy lord dropped to his knees, keeping his eyes on the ground submissively as Severus followed him. "_Where_ is my son?"

Both death-eaters stilled and Lucius paled. He had hoped to give Rhyian a little more time before he had to face his father. "Y- your son, milord?"

Finally, they dared to look up and gaze upon the changed Dark Lord. Severus stilled completely while Lucius' breath caught. _This_ was the man Lucius had been so enchanted by in his youth. The man his father always spoke highly of, the half-blood of extraordinary power and connections.

The exact reflection of this man was sleeping in his guest bedroom.

Lucius flinched when he found his lord's wand pressed against his cheek, "Don't play with me, Lucius. I am very pleased with you, Narcissa and Severus, do not ruin it. I will not hesitate to use Cruciatus if I am kept from Rhyian. Now, _where is he?_" The end of the statement was nearly a hiss.

"My lord, he is still sleeping, but I will take you to him." Narcissa emerged from the manor, bowing to him, "If you will accompany me?"

Voldemort raised his hand and removed his hood, revealing a pale, striking face. He looked as though he wasn't a day above thirty, his handsome face framed by wavy black hair and his light green eyes glittering with renewed brilliance. He spared the two men a glance, "We will talk later." He stated before allowing Narcissa to lead him to his son.

Lucius and Severus hastily followed, barely keeping up with their master's long strides.

Narcissa stopped by the door to Harry's room, her hand delicately resting on the ornately carved wood as she glanced at Voldemort. "Would you like to be alone with him, my lord?"

Voldemort stood still, gazing at the door with glittering eyes before reaching forward and pushing it open. "No. I have certain instructions for the three of you." He murmured before stepping forward.

The first sight of Rhyian astounded him. The child was unconscious, blissfully unaware of what was happening around him. He was exactly how Voldemort had imagined him to be. Pale skinned, small, baby-faced…

Utterly beautiful.

The Dark Lord walked forward, swiftly crossing the room to come to stand by Rhyian's bedside. His eyes flickered towards the scar of his child's forehead. The wound looked red and raw but Voldemort knew that it would heal; it would _disappear_. He pointed his wand at the child's forehead and murmured an incantation under his breath, watching his magic slowly scanned the wound before traveling over his entire body.

"Has any healer seen him?" Voldemort asked absently as he analyzed the scroll that appeared before him because of the spell.

"I checked him, my lord. He is magically exhausted but something seems to have gone wrong with…" Severus paused before collecting himself when the Dark Lord gestured him to continue. Somehow, the man knew about the ritual. "He should have slept for a couple of days but the fact that he still is unconscious is troubling."

Voldemort nodded, "It seems that he was an accidental Horcrux." He murmured, "Currently, his magic is healing whatever damage the Horcrux did to him. It seems to have suppressed his magic as well as his natural skills and talent to a small extent. His body and magic is too pure to tolerate a piece of my soul without a negative reaction." He waved his wand over his son's unconscious form in a complicated pattern, "Severus, I need you to brew several vials of the Dreamless Sleep potion and the headache preventive draught. You might as well brew some fever-reducing draught." He frowned when his healing magic settled into Rhyian's body, "You will also plan a treatment to deal with malnourishment and undernourishment that Rhyian suffers from. That Pomphrey woman has treated everything else it seems."

"Yes my lord."

Voldemort absently tossed a ring at Lucius. "That ring will allow you entrance into the Slytherin manor. You must not wear that ring. You must simply show it to the head house-elf and he will follow your directions for the time being." He Dark Lord glanced at his second-in-command with a faint frown, "I have recently been accepted back into the Slytherin vaults and manor. I did not have the time to set things in order. You must ask the elves to prepare the Heir Suite for Rhyian. All dungeons and prisons must be closed and warded off unless I explicitly command them to be opened. All books on Dark Arts, blood magic, ritual magic, soul magic and black magic above Grade 4 level in the library must be under strong wards that Rhyian must not be able to break. Have the elves screen the manor grounds for dangerous creatures and any harmful dark objects." He narrowed his eyes, "The manor should be completely harmless for an inquisitive fourteen year old child by the time I bring Rhyian to it. Am I understood Lucius?"

"Yes, my lord. I will see to it that it is completely safe for Rhyian to wonder about the manor." Lucius stated.

Voldemort nodded before turning to Narcissa, "Rhyian will need clothes and whatever you feel is essential for him. This includes stationary, items of entertainment, books that youth of his age read for entertainment, music, Quidditch equipments, etc." he handed her a key, "This key will allow you access to Rhyian's new account that I set up before coming here. It has a spending limit of thirty thousand galleons a year." Lady Malfoy concealed her indulgent smile. Even Draco had a five thousand galleon spending limit on his account. The Dark Lord was obviously intent on spoiling his son. However, something told her that Rhyian was not someone who would spend callously. "I assume that will be enough?"

"More than enough, my lord."

"Good. I assume you have already sent the Doppelganger to the muggles Rhyian was supposed to live with?" Voldemort asked, finally drawing his gaze away from his son completely to look at Narcissa, "He has been missing for five days now."

"The doppelganger was sent the very night he arrived here, my lord. I have also sent a letter to his muggle-born friend, explaining the circumstances to her as well as warning to keep the information to herself. I cast a small spell on the letter that would conceal the information in her mind if Dumbledore seeks it." She paused before continuing, "Rhyian gave his permission to extract a copy of his memories before he went to perform the ritual to heal you, my lord. I performed the spell when he was unconscious as his magic at its weakest. That would make the doppelganger itself quite weak. Not very noticeable of course, but enough to ensure that next time he finds himself in danger, he would not survive."

Voldemort arched a brow before glancing at Lucius, "I must congratulate you Lucius. You have a fine wife."

Lucius smiled and bowed in appreciation. "I wake every morning with that knowledge set firmly in my mind, my lord." He stated, gazing at Narcissa with approval and affection. The Lady of the house blushed under the praise.

Voldemort hummed thoughtfully, turning his attention back to the child on the bed. "If the doppelganger dies, it will force Dumbledore's hand. If he is hiding a real Harry Potter somewhere then the child will have to reveal himself." He drummed his long, elegant fingers against his thigh. "My memories of that night are not very clear. The eyes, I think…" he frowned, "The child had James Potter's hazel eyes. However, if there was another child, how did Rhyian become my Horcrux?"

He looked at Severus and arched a brow, "How certain are you about the authenticity of the prophecy?"

The potion's master frowned, "I witnessed a portion it with my own eyes, my lord. However, with the presence of Dumbledore, one can never be certain."

"Was Dumbledore ever aware that the child he had in his grasp was my son?"

Severus paused in thought. "I am uncertain…" that said hesitantly, "He seemed genuinely fond of the boy. He was concerned for Potter's safety even though he established fairly dangerous tests to gauge the boy's ability."

"The mere fact that he was testing him-" Lucius began, "indicates that he may have considered Rhyian to be the child of the prophecy." He looked at Voldemort, "My lord, if I may, I have a thought that I would like to bring out in the open."

Voldemort nodded and Lucius frowned as he spoke. "Both Severus and I have known James all our lives, my lord. He roamed in Slytherin circles a lot, despite his apparent distaste for it. If that man knew that there was a prophecy involving his son, I don't doubt that he would be cunning enough to place a decoy in his son's place."

"He could be… cold enough to allow another child suffer in place of his own son?" Narcissa asked softly, "He was a Gryffindor."

"By blood but not by mind." Voldemort said, leaning back in his chair thoughtfully, "That would have been something I would do as well. If it meant keeping Rhyian safe, another orphan with no name would hardly matter to me." He narrowed his eyes, "However, had James Potter and Regulus Black had been alive, they would know just how much I object to having my son taken away from me." He closed his eyes and waved his hand in dismissal, "You have your orders. Narcissa, I will be staying here until Rhyian recovers. Lucius, I need your supply of Verum parchments. Two standard sized sheets should suffice."

"Of course, my lord. I will have the house-elf arrange the room next to this one for you." Narcissa said while Lucius summoned his house-elf and asked to fetch the parchments the Dark Lord demanded. With that done, Lucius and Severus left to perform their tasks. Narcissa took a moment of cast a spell to know Harry's measurements for his robes before walking out of the room.

Finally alone, Voldemort relaxed and observed his son.

Rhyian had been an unplanned part of his life. He had never entertained the idea of having his own family, of having a wife and then a son. After killing his worthless father and grandparents, the notion of family never occurred to him.

He had been at the height of his power when Adrianna stepped into his life. She had been beautiful of course, the pale, icy beauty that was indicative of a Malfoy. However, Voldemort had paid very little mind to it. She was Lucius' little sister and therefore of no use to him.

That is, until he started to realize that he never let her out of sight and was getting more and more possessive of her as days passed.

The night when Lucius came to him, nervous and fearful, to inform him that he was Adrianna's mate was a night he would never forget.

He had been enraged. It wasn't his choice to get involved in a relationship. He did not wish to have a woman by his side even if she was a born vampire and possibly very powerful. It had taken him an entire month to accept Adrianna as his wife. He had done so very reluctantly, his capacity for feeling emotions already hampered.

However, Adrianna soon became a very important part of his life. She was the silent presence by his side. She was a typical Malfoy wife, letting him rule but subtly guiding him when she thought he was in the wrong. Her silence spoke volumes to him. The trust and connection he felt with her was something he did not feel with anyone.

As unexpected as Adrianna had been, Rhyian was even more of a surprise.

Voldemort never believed he would ever sire a child. He had altered his natural body, split his soul and meddled with his magic. He had always assumed that if he did sire an heir, the child would turn out to be a squib or some deformed monstrosity.

Rhyian, however, was _perfection._

Slytherin eyes, curly hair, rosy cheeks, ten little fingers and ten little toes. Nothing about him that was less than perfect. His only child and heir turned out to be so precious to him that Voldemort would never sleep without seeing his son's face and when he woke, he strove to be the first thing the his little boy saw in the morning.

It was a silly little indulgence. One of the very few liberties he allowed himself. He could be short with his wife, ignore her and be indifferent to her at times but he had been Rhyian's servant. Everything that his child demanded was handed to him instantly.

The Dark Lord chuckled faintly under his breath and leaned forward, reaching out to brush a stray curl away from Rhyian's forehead. He had a great advantage. He knew everything that Rhyian knew up until he performed the ritual. He knew how Rhyian thought; he knew his secrets, his habits, his feelings. His Horcrux had been a record of memories. He knew what Rhyian planned to do. His sly little boy had planned everything.

He had somehow convinced his aunt and uncle to allow him home schooling in muggle education and paid for everything with the money the Potters left him. Keeping up with his muggle education while he could barely keep up with Hogwarts education with all his adventures was trying but somehow, he did it. He had already taken one GCSE when he was twelve and then proceeded to achieve two more before his fourth year at Hogwarts.

How this had escaped Dumbledore or his friends' notice was beyond him. The moment Rhyian had finished the first year; he had immediately decided that a back-up option was necessary if he ever found the wizarding world to be too overwhelming or suffocating. The child had already established himself in the muggle world. It would be easy for him to escape the world he truly belonged in to find freedom.

Voldemort admired the cunning and thought behind Rhyian's plans even if he had no intention of letting the child out of his sight.

He looked down at the verum parchment in his hands and frowned. He needed to deal with that muggleborn Granger first.

* * *

Hermione sat in front of her parents with an uncertain look on her face. On the coffee table in front of her sat Hedwig with a letter. Slowly, she reached forward and took it. Mrs. Malfoy had already written to her and informed her about the ritual and that both Mr. Malfoy and Prof. Snape were assisting Harry. She had also told her that Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were Harry's uncle and aunt, Harry mum being Mr. Malfoy's younger sister.

She wondered if Harry had recovered from the ritual and written to her. If that was so, why hadn't he come home? His trunk was still with them and though neither the Dursleys nor Dumbledore had questioned her, it wouldn't be too long before people found out that Harry was missing.

Shaking of her thoughts, she opened the envelope, her eyes widening when she found a sheet of black parchment. The goblins used the same parchment to determine Harry's true parentage. Hermione knew that every single word written on that parchment had to be true. Lies could not be written on the verum sheets.

_Ms. Granger,_

_Rumors of your intelligence have not been exaggerated. I acknowledge that had it not been for your keen and fair mind, I would not be sitting here, looking and feeling human as I gaze upon my son._

_By now, I assume that you know a fair bit about Horcrux. You must also know that one of my Horcrux has been destroyed by Rhy-Harry. What none of us was aware of was the fact that Harry himself, was an accidental Horcrux. When he performed the ritual, the Horcrux left his body and entered mine… along with all of Harry's memories. _

_Harry has hidden a lot from us, Ms. Granger. I do believe there are some things about him that even you do not know. One of those things was the fact that he had already suspected Dumbledore's motives. You were the one who shed light upon mine, therefore encouraging Harry to pursue the truth._

_And here we are…_

_Rhyian, for I refuse to use the name Harry to refer to him from now on, is my son. I cannot begin to describe how much I cherish him and now I have him with me once again. _

_I shall never let go. _

_Ms. Granger, through your actions and your assistance, I have come to understand that you are very loyal to Rhyian. For that sole reason, I will reveal my plans to you. However, you must understand that despite the gratitude I feel, I will not tolerate betrayal for in this case, your betrayal will hurt my child and I will never allow that. _

_I must ask a few things of you. Things you must do to ensure Rhyian's continued safety for no one should know that I have a son and that son used to be Harry Potter. Due to Lady Malfoy's skill and cunning, a doppelganger has been sent to the Dursleys in place of Rhyian. It is an ancient and very complicated spell that even I do not know the specifics of. It is a spell that has been in the Black family for generations, rarely used but very deceptive. The doppelganger is a clone of Rhyian. It has all of Rhyian's memories. It carries the same personality and the same habits. _

_The key difference between the clone and the original is power and skill. You would know, Ms. Granger, just how unique and powerful Rhyian is. You have noticed it. You have confronted him about his insistence on under-achieving; you have tried to draw out the intelligence and cunning that he tries to hide. _

_You have not succeeded but you are intimately aware of it. The clone is an underpowered version of Rhyian. It possesses none of Rhyian's true skills and intelligence. He is what Rhyian always tried to be. A normal wizard. _

_Your task is simple. Ensure that you do not let it slip to anyone, by actions, gestures or any other means, that Harry is not the real thing. Act as naturally as you can when you see him, even if he is not the real boy. Of course, Lady Malfoy has only transferred memories up to the day of the ritual. This means that the doppelganger will not remember your interaction with Harry, your suspicions about Dumbledore's and my motives or your trip to Gringotts. _

_I am not entirely convinced of Mr. Weasley's loyalty even though Rhyian does not doubt him. I leave it up to you to decide whether he must be told about the recent developments or not for you are likely to look at the situation from a rational point of view. Let your intelligence not fail you in this endeavor. _

_Ms. Granger, concerning my involvement in the petitions that Lucius and the other known purebloods tried to launch, you are correct in your assumption. My intention has always been to develop the wizarding society but to keep the culture that we value so much, intact. Muggle influence has been both corruptive and beneficial. I aimed to see to it that the corruptive influence was kept in check. _

_I am no angel, Ms. Granger. My opinions on muggles will never change but I must assure you that muggleborns like you, who integrate themselves into the wizarding culture so enthusiastically, have no reason to fear from me. _

_As Rhyian's friends, you are safe. Mr. Weasley and his family is safe as well, it applies for Mr. Longbottom or anything other friends that Rhyian may have. As long as they do not betray him, I have no reason to harm. _

_I conclude this letter by saying that you indeed are the smartest witch of your generation. Now, if you can pass that intelligence onto Lucius' son a bit, I would be grateful._

_With regards,_

_Tom Marvolo Riddle._

Hermione giggled lightly then bit her lip. A letter from Lord Voldemort was the last thing she had expected. The fact that he had written it on verum paper told her that everything that he said was the truth.

The mention of Ron left her in an interesting dilemma. She did not want to keep secrets from him but she realized that Ron tended to have very rigid views. If she told him that their best friend was the son of the Dark Lord, his reaction would be explosive and damaging.

On the other hand, last year, after his blunder of accusing Harry, Ron had sworn an oath that he would never judge Harry without hearing his side of the story first. He had sworn on his magic that he would never betray Harry.

Hermione would like to give him a chance. Moreover, Ron, despite everything, could be very observant. He would notice that something was off with Harry if he observed the doppelganger's actions keenly. Ron, more than anyone, was aware of Harry's skills and power. He believed in Harry's strength even more than she did at times.

Frowning slightly, she decided that she would wait until school started to see whether she should tell Ron the truth or not.

"Well," her father said as she read the letter aloud for him, "He doesn't sound that bad." He looked at her with a smile, "So, everything is well set, then?"

Hermione frowned, "I am not so certain. Prof. Snape being on Harry's side certainly helps. Prof. Dumbledore seems to rely on him a lot. I am not exactly pleased to note that Harry will be away from us. I have no doubts that Voldemort is not going to let him go to Hogwarts now. Some other school perhaps or maybe Harry will be home-schooled." Hermione bit her lip in worry, "Sirius is also a problem… I do not know how much he knows and he is a Black as well… he might know the spell that Mrs. Malfoy performed. Moreover, he was related to Regulus Black's and may have given Harry to the Potters himself. I don't understand, he seemed to love Harry very much… something is not right here. Then there is Prof. Lupin, his werewolf senses might detect that something is off with Harry."

Hermione hurriedly grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen. "Hedwig, will you wait a moment?" The intelligent owl simply hooted softly and Hermione proceeded to write a letter.

She frowned as she wrote her letter, being careful not to write anything offensive and keeping her tone as polite and respectful as possible. After all, she was writing to one of the most powerful wizards known.

She hoped that her best friend's father had a solution.

* * *

Lucius sat back in his study with a sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose tiredly. The entire week since the Dark Lord's visit had been stressful. They had to take care of many things. Lucius had sent Draco always to his cousin's home in France so that his son did not interfere, while the three of them worked to cater to their master's demands.

He had underestimated the damage the ritual had caused his nephew. The Dark Lord had to perform a spell twice a day to help repair the child's core and stabilize his mind. It took a lot of energy and Lucius doubted that anyone but their master was capable of such power coupled with such extreme concentration and precision. Along with that, Severus had to administer several potions to ensure Rhyian's health and speedy recovery.

It had been nearly twelve days now and Rhyian still had not emerged from his coma. They were getting anxious, wondering if they would have to call upon the services of St. Mungo's. Lucius knew that that would be a very risky move. Explaining the reason why Rhyian was in such a state would be very dangerous and if Dumbledore got wind of it, the boy's safety would be compromised.

The Malfoy Lord frowned. Thankfully, he had managed to get everything in the Slytherin manor in order. The house-elves had been efficient, eager to welcome the new heir to his ancestral home. Narcissa had accompanied him to help the house-elves decorate Rhyian new room.

The Slytherin manor was a supremely elegant and gothic structure. Rich furnishings, expensive art and antiques dotted every corner of it. Stepping into it was like stepping into another world. Unlike what one would expect, not everything was done in emerald greens, blacks and silvers. Those were certainly Salazar's favorite colors however; the manor exited even before Salazar was born.

Many people tended to forget that Salazar's clan was Ancient and Noble _even in his time_.

Despite the richness and elegance of it, Narcissa pointed out that Rhyian would love a more open and friendly space. He would be overwhelmed by the ancient feel of the manor and would need his rooms to be a place where he could be comfortable.

Therefore, Narcissa had dipped into the Malfoy vaults and remodeled the entire Heir suite to fit Rhyian's modest character.

Lucius wasn't sure how pleased their Lord would be by the change. The bedroom was very simple, light and airy. Narcissa called the design contemporary. The room had large windows that stretched from floor to ceiling and beautiful white sheer curtains that were complimented by shimmering gold colored velvet drapes. The room got too much sunlight but the view of the manor grounds and the lake in the distance was beautiful.

The bed was made of dark wood with an ornately carved headboard with embroidered white silk duvet. Two leather chairs sat by the fireplace while a settee sat by the large windows.

Rhyian study was also remodeled, out of the four walls of the room; two were lined from floor to ceiling with books. A desk and chair took up another wall while the last one had another large window.

Overall, it was a soft, open set of rooms. Perfect for Rhyian but it would no doubt entice their Lord's distaste.

His eyes roamed over his own ornate study before he paused, his gaze narrowing on a stack of letters on his desk. He reached forward, frowning when he noticed that since he had not entered his study for nearly a week, those letters had gone unattended. He paled when he spotted a letter for their Lord that had arrived a week ago and stood, hoping that the delay did not enrage the Lord enough to punish him.

He walked quickly towards Rhyian's rooms.

Their Lord was standing by Rhyian's bed, a frown of concentration marring his features as he waved his wand over Rhyian's body in a complicated pattern. It was time to perform the healing spell once again.

Lucius knew better than to interrupt. He stood by the door as his nephew's body started to glow and globes of differently colored magic swirled over the sleeping teen before sinking into his body. There was a thin layer of sweat on Voldemort's forehead and his lips were pressed into a tight line.

Finally, after nearly thirty minutes of constantly performing spells, Voldemort lowered his wand. "I believe that he is fully healed now. He should wake anytime soon."

"I am relieved to hear that." Lucius whispered before stepping forward. "My Lord, you must know that the nature of the wards in Malfoy manor causes all mail carrying owls to be screened before the house-elves take the letters and place it in my study." He handed the letter to Voldemort, "This arrived for you about a week ago and since I have not been able to spend time in my study, I wasn't aware that it had arrived. Forgive me, my lord, for the delay."

Voldemort nodded calmly before taking the letter, his brow arching in surprise to see the name of the author.

_Sir,_

_I thank you for your letter. It put my mind on ease for a moment before other questions started to emerge. I hope that you do not consider me as impudent and presumptuous after this, but have you given any thought to Ha- Rhyian's education? I am assuming that you will not be sending him to Hogwarts. He has yet to give his OWLs and NEWTs._

_Of course, there is also the question of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, James Potter's best friends and comrades. Since you mentioned the doppelganger was the Black family's spell, shouldn't Sirius be aware of it? Does the doppelganger imitate a person's scent as well? Because I am certain that Sirius, in his animagus form and Prof. Lupin as a werewolf would be able to spot differences in Harry's scent._

_Moreover, Mrs. Malfoy sent me Harry's wand with her last letter. I am to give it to the doppelganger as soon as possible. I have sent his trunk and his wand to the clone but I wonder what he will use. I was under the impression that his Holly and Phoenix feather wand was best suited for him._

_There are a few things that I know Harry would not bear to be parted it. His wand and his Invisibility cloak are amongst those things. I have taken the liberty of removing his precious possessions from his trunk. When Harry is well enough, please ask him whether he would like them back. Of course, it would be best that another cloak is there to replace it. Harry tells me that his cloak is a bit different from others that Sirius had shown him before. He felt the difference even though Sirius assured him that there was none._

_Forgive me for questioning you but I am worried about his safety. Sir, I consider him to be my brother in all but blood. I have been trying to keep him out of trouble and to be honest, he doesn't want to involve himself in half the things he gets into. Last year was trying. Ron was being stubborn and Harry seemed so alone…_

_I am also concerned about Rhyian's association with you and Mr. Malfoy. Far be it for me to offer advice to one such as you, sir. However, I find myself unable to hold the impulse. He had lost his ability to trust and it must be rebuilt. He has become bitter and cynical, that must be changed. How good an influence you will be on him is not something I am capable of judging but my father tells me that you will deal with your son as you see fit. In the end, like most good fathers, you will help him if he needs it._

_I have never doubted my father's wisdom, sir. I will not start now. Harry now has the one thing that he desired the most. A family. Please take care of him._

_With warmest regards,_

_Hermione Granger._

Voldemort chuckled and leaned back in his chair, an amused smirk crossing his lips. "This child is very bold."

"Pardon me, my lord?" Lucius asked has he handed a cup of warm, refreshing tea to Voldemort.

The Dark Lord glanced at his son as he took a sip, pondering over the information that the muggleborn had given him. As he analyzed Rhyian's memories of Black and Lupin, he understood her concern. "Lucius, I wish to speak with Narcissa." The Malfoy nodded and immediately summoned a house-elf to call Narcissa while Voldemort immersed himself in Harry's memories.

It wasn't long before the elegant Lady Malfoy walked into the room and bowed to Voldemort. "My Lord?"

"That doppelganger spell… will your cousin Sirius Black be able to detect it? Let us not forget Remus Lupin, he is a werewolf and Black is a grim animagus. Can your spell deceive the advanced senses and instincts of those two?" Voldemort asked, looking at her with keen eyes.

Narcissa frowned, "That spell is a part of the series of spells that is taught to the members of the Black family when they are twenty years old. It also classifies as Dark magic. Cousin Sirius left his home when he was sixteen and had refused to learn any form of Dark magic ever since he entered Hogwarts. It is very unlikely that he would know the spell. Not even Andromeda knows the spell, my lord." She looked a bit pensive, "However, that is mere speculation. I cannot say with certainty that he has no knowledge of the spell. We may rest easy about the werewolf and my cousin's animagus form. Even their enhanced senses will not recognize any difference. The only weakness of the spell is that it cannot replicate a person's magical abilities to the fullest. Young master Rhyian is your son, my lord. His power is beyond what anyone of his generation could ever hope to possess. Many skills that he possesses are unique to him. I am afraid that anyone who knows him well enough will spot the difference."

Voldemort scowled, "That includes Dumbledore."

"_Not necessarily…_" a hoarse voice whispered.

All three adults tensed, their eyes snapping towards the child on the bed.

Harry groaned as he finally registered the dull throb in his temples and the painful stiffness of his body. "Dum-" he cleared his throat when his voice emerged in the form of a husky croak. "Dumbledore doesn't know me as well as most seem to think." He whispered with a pained grimace while Narcissa immediately summoned a house-elf and commanded it to bring some water.

"You are finally awake." Voldemort stated neutrally, watching his son with a calculating look in his eye.

Harry did not look at him, keeping his gaze pointedly away from him. However, he nodded to acknowledge his father. He did not want to appear disrespectful even though he was cursing every deity he could think of for putting him in his current situation. "The only people who know me well enough to recognize the flaws of your spell are Ron, Hermione and to some extent Neville."

"Not even Black and Lupin?" Lucius asked as he handed Harry some potions. The boy looked at the potions with a small frown, recognizing only one of the three. Harry sent Lucius a skeptical look before consuming the potions one after the other.

"Remus… as much as I respect the man, I have to say that during my third year he knew me as a student, a student he favored, but a student none the less. He has made very little effort to get to know me. As for Sirius, he is a on the run from the ministry. We could not spend much time with each other."

"I thought you love Black." Severus drawled from the doorway, a sneer on his lips indicating his thoughts on that.

Harry shrugged, "I thought you loved Dumbledore."

Voldemort tensed, his piercing eyes snapping in Severus' direction. The Potion's master paled but was saved by Harry. "The man kept you from Azkaban. Sirius was my ticket out of my own prison."

Narcissa arched a brow, "Your muggle relatives. Do you have no affection for your godfather then?"

Harry frowned, "I like him. I'd say it is not _him_ I love but what he _represents_."

Voldemort frowned, "Security and the protection of an adult who cares about you and you only."

Harry glanced at him warily before nodding in agreement. The child closed his eyes, sighing a little. "However, I am not blind. A part of both Sirius and Remus only sees James Potter when they look at me." He glanced at Severus, "Like someone else I know." The older man glared at him in response but quickly averted his eyes at Voldemort's sharp hiss.

"Will you tell them the truth?" Voldemort asked, giving Harry the freedom to make his own decisions.

Harry looked uncertain for a moment before he spoke slowly, "No." he swallowed, "Ignorance is better than hatred." He whispered, "The only people I know are capable of supporting me now are Hermione, Ron and to some extent Fred and George Weasley. Hermione already knows… she will tell Ron if she thinks it is wise. As for Fred and George… I will tell them soon."

Harry looked down at his hands, watching as they trembled, "When will I be able to move about properly?"

"In a few days, I should expect." Severus informed him curtly, "You will need about a month to get back full mobility which includes your sharp Quidditch reflexes." Harry frowned, sighing slightly when the potions' effect finally started manifesting, reducing the pain in his body and the throbbing in his temples.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Dark Lord gesture to the three other adults in the room and tensed. Lucius and Narcissa looked at him briefly before walking out of the room while Severus took the empty vials and followed them.

He was left alone in the room with Voldemort.

Harry bit his lip and stayed silent, turning his head so that he could look out of the window. He could feel his father's gaze on him, those piercing green eyes that refused to leave his face.

"Would you like to know what happened?" Voldemort asked casually and Harry gave a stiff nod in reply. "It would seem that you were an accidental Horcrux." The older wizard confessed. "The fragment of my soul had latched onto your mind and your magical core, burdening both of them and hindering your growth." His voice took on a more clinical tone, "Under normal circumstances, the only thing that could free you of its influence would have been death but since you performed the ritual, all soul fragments had to pass through you to find me. It was your desire to see me whole that fueled the spell. The force of the five soul fragments passing through you dislodged the one that had latched onto you. It was the last fragment to reunite with me." He looked at Harry keenly, "The fragment brought with it a copy of all your memories, experiences and feelings."

Harry paled, his eyes snapping towards his father. "You have been sleeping for the past twelve days. Twice every day, I performed a spell on you that steadily healed your core. Unfortunately, the ritual has destroyed your mind's natural defense. Narcissa is an expert in Occlumency. She has taught it to Draco and he has excelled in it. Her mind is naturally very soothing and her methods very appropriate for a child your age. She will be teaching you Occlumency so that you can organize your mind and protect it. Very few have been able to master the skill but since the Horcrux has left your body, I am certain that you will be able to learn it. It will protect your mind from those who wish to look into it. I would have asked Severus to do it but seeing the rift between you, I do not think that he would be a good teacher."

Harry snorted, "He is never a good teacher." He sighed before closing his eyes tiredly, "I guess I have no choice but to stay here, don't I?"

"You are a wizard. This is where you belong." Voldemort stated with a frown.

"Well, I certainly don't _feel_ as though I belong here." Harry grumbled, "Is it too much to ask to get what I want for once? I don't think you are any more enthusiastic about playing family than I am. Why not let me go?" he looked at Voldemort, speaking softly and pleadingly, "I don't want to be a part of this war. I am tired. I am so tired. I have not had an ounce of peace in all my life. Every single moment of happiness seems to be overshadowed. You don't need me, sir. I am not anyone special. I am not the Boy-Who-Lived… I am just me. You have people like Mr. Malfoy, Prof. Snape in your forces, what good can a fourteen-year-old boy do? I will not interfere with your plans if that it what you are worried about. I just plan to live anonymously in the muggle world."

Voldemort looked at him thoughtfully, his eyes hooded. "Now see, that is where you are wrong…" the Dark Lord whispered finally, "Have you considered the possibility that I want you to stay because you are my son?"

Harry flinched and leaned back, "That's not important."

"Oh, let me assure you, it is _very_ important." Voldemort hissed, grasping Harry chin, he made him look at the older wizard, "More important than you realize. What Regulus did… it was unforgivable."

Harry finally lost his restraint.

"_Unforgivable?_" He hissed, his eyes blazing in anger. "How? What _you_ did was unforgivable! Just because I found that I am your son does not make me blind to your numerous faults! Six Horcruxes, _six!_ What in the world were you thinking? Where you thinking at all?" he glared at the Dark Lord who simply leaned back and allowed him to rage, "Your first one was made when you were sixteen, wasn't it? The Diary? Was it that easy to kill? Was it that easy to perform that foul ritual and tear your own soul apart? _That_ may have been a mistake you made in your ignorance but what about the other five times you repeated the process?"

He combed his fingers through his hair, visibly trembling, "I cannot understand what motivated you to do this! How could anyone be so desperate to actually purposefully destroy their own soul?" He swallowed, "Mr. Black called it a mistake on your part but I cannot. How can I excuse the numerous lives destroyed because of your own foolishness? Dear lord, you were horrible. Every time I look back on the things you did, I cannot help but ask myself, how am I supposed to forgive you? How can I bear that such _filthy_ blood runs through my veins?"

He looked his father with a fierce scowl on his face, "Mr. Black did the right thing. The only reason I am holding myself back is that the ritual would have killed you if you were completely and utterly beyond redemption. It would have killed you if you did not _deserve _redemption." He took a deep breath, "_A child's forgiveness is his father's redemption._" He whispered, quoting a portion of the incantation that he had to perform during the ritual. "How can I forgive you?" he asked feebly.

Voldemort was silent for a while before he stood and walked over the window. "Tell me, Rhyian, what do you know of Amortentia?" The Dark Lord asked softly.

Harry paused, cooling down somewhat and glanced at Voldemort hesitantly, "A love potion?" he asked uncertainly. He briefly recalled Snape mentioning it in one class, "The most powerful love potion that exists."

Voldemort nodded regally, leaning against the railing and peering at the sky with a rather solemn look in his eyes. "Yes. Amortentia is the most potent love potion known to man. After consumption, the victim instantly becomes enthralled with the person whose magic was used to brew the potion. It is so potent that the victim becomes obsessed with the brewer and dangerous to those around him." The man paused, "However, there is another aspect of the potion that very few people are aware of." Voldemort looked grim as he spoke, "Amortentia's curse. Do you know what that is, Rhyian?"

Harry shook his head, frowning as he tried to understand why such a thing was relevant to their earlier conversation.

"It is a curse that affects not the brewer or the victim, it affects the child who is born into such a corrupted union. As a child born to parents under the influence of a love potion, he becomes a being incapable of love. A cursed being who feels nothing but hatred and anger. A child who never knows of hope and affection and sees darkness everywhere." Harry paled as Voldemort chuckled dryly, "Under normal circumstances, the potion is usually spotted and an antidote is provided. Under normal circumstances, even if the cure is not administered, a child is never born to the union. A child is too pure to survive such corruption. However, there is an exception for everything. I am such an exception."

Harry swallowed as he tried to understand what his father was saying. He only understood a portion of the horror that the older wizard was describing and it was unsettling.

"My mother was a weak willed witch…" Voldemort snorted, "You could hardly call her a witch. She had very little power and used it to brew Amortentia. All because she was taken by a handsome and rich _muggle._" He sneered, his pale green eyes flashing, "They married and she got pregnant with me. Sometime around that point, she stopped giving him the potion and he came to his senses, discarding her. With no money to her name and no support from her family, she barely survived. She managed to reach the doorstep of an orphanage and delivered her child before she died."

By this time, Harry was looking at Voldemort in horror.

"Grew up in the orphanage, isolated because I was considered a freak. When I started to realize that I had some powers, I used them to get revenge. To show those children who bullied me that I was more powerful and important than they were. When I was eleven, I was invited to Hogwarts. It didn't take me long to find out that I had descended from none other than Salazar Slytherin and a few years after that I discovered information about Horcrux." Voldemort paused at that point before schooling his expression, "I made more Horcruxes but never really felt its effects keenly. The degeneration of my mind was slow. Over the decades, I started getting harsher… crueler than I ever was. My policies changed to that of pureblood extremism."

Voldemort moved from the window and walked over to a desk in the corner of the room. He picked up a photograph and handed it to Harry.

"Adrianna Malfoy-Riddle." Voldemort whispered, "Your mother."

Harry looked at the photograph, finding himself staring into pale grey eyes. "I was her mate. After much reluctance, I agreed to bond with her." He sat down on the chair by Harry's bed. "I was incapable of positive feelings by then. All I felt for Anna was a fierce urge to protect and a certain amount of possessiveness. I had only made my own situation worse." Harry looked at him in question and Voldemort leaned back in his chair with a frown, "The only way to counter Amortentia's curse was to find someone who you could love unconditionally, a pure, untainted and very powerful feeling of love. That was the only counter to the curse that forced a person to feel only hatred." He looked at Harry intently, "I had damned myself by creating the Horcruxes because they destroyed that chance. With my soul split in so many pieces, the possibility of ever experiencing such an emotion was next to none."

"So what happened? To the curse I mean?" Harry asked softly, "Your own mate wasn't successful in breaking the curse, was she? It still exists?"

Voldemort smirked faintly, "No. It does not."

Harry looked at the Dark Lord in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Tell me Rhyian," the older wizard began, "what is the potency of a father's love for his son when it surpasses the power of a dangerous dark curse and exists despite the fact that the father's soul is in fragments?"

Harry stilled completely, his wide eyes looking at Voldemort.

The Dark Lord stood, reaching forward to let his long fingers comb through Harry's hair, tugging a stray curl with a small smirk on his lips. "You are a miracle child." He whispered, "Lamia women have great difficulty bearing children. It takes years for them to conceive. You were born a mere year after my marriage. My damaged body should have rendered me infertile but I was not. I feared that you would turn out to be deformed or disabled because of the dark rituals I performed on my own body but you turned out to be perfect. I was afraid that you would turn out to be a squib but here you are, more powerful than most of your fellow peers." Realizing that Harry was being overwhelmed, the older wizard stepped back, "I will leave you to your thoughts. I suggest that you write to your muggle-born friend. She wants to know if you want your Invisibility cloak and some other items back in your possession."

Harry nodded faintly, his mind reeling.

"Oh and just so you don't doubt my words…" Voldemort paused and waved his wand, "I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, do swear on my life and magic that I have spoken nothing but the truth during my recent conversation with one Rhyian Thomas Riddle also known as Harry James Potter."

Harry's eyes widened as a golden ribbon emerged from the tip of Voldemort's wand and encircled him before disappearing. His father smirked at him faintly before gracefully walking out of the room, leaving him lying on his bed, stunned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Summary: Hermione was always regarded as the smartest witch of her generation. Her intelligence cost Albus Dumbledore dearly while Harry gained something precious.**

**Warnings: Harry Potter and Twilight crossover (Not for a while though.) Slash. Completely AU from the Goblet of Fire onwards.**

**Pairings: Edward Cullen/Harry Potter, Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale/Emmett Cullen, Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/Undecided**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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"What're our options, Albus?" Moody asked gruffly, breaking the tense silence that had descended upon the Order's members. "After a year of inactivity, people are starting to believe that you were lying."

Dumbledore sighed, "This sudden stillness from his direction is a bit alarming." Sirius scoffed at the understatement, garnering glares from a few people. "There have been no attacks save for the one that was centered on Azkaban. His force is back to its original strength, the children of his Death-Eaters are now available to him… why is he so silent?" The headmaster glanced at Severus in askance.

The seasoned spy shrugged, "I have nothing to tell you, the Dark Lord rarely summons us. When he does, it is usually a rather pointless meeting. I believe he does it to keep the Death-Eaters on their toes." He narrowed his eyes, "Although, he has taken to randomly test the Death-Eaters to gauge whether they are competent enough to be a part of his force or not."

"That's old news." Sirius said, glancing at Severus with an arched brow, "Are you getting rusty with old age, Snape?"

Severus sent him a sharp glare. "Do you want to walk a mile in my shoes, Black?" he asked with a sneer. "You are doing nothing but sitting here and sulking. You have no right to speak."

Sirius let out a furious growl, ready to pounce on Snape but Dumbledore interrupted them. "Gentlemen, we do not need conflicts occurring amongst our ranks. This is a dire situation. Please behave."

Both of them glared at each other before Snape turned away with a silent snarl. He had a keen urge to make a stinging remark. He knew where it would hurt the most: Harry Potter was Sirius Black's most precious weakness.

It was almost painfully amusing to know that the _thing_ that Black always dotted upon was a clone and the real child was actually _his_ godson now.

The Dark Lord really had an odd sense of humor.

The brat despised him with every fiber of his being. Severus had learned to temper his attitude in Rhyian's presence and the boy, despite his young age was very mature and did not provoke him. However, there were times when the spy slipped and said something unsavory.

He learned then that the protective Dark Lord's Cruciatus curse was much more potent than anything he had ever experienced.

Moreover, said brat would always consider Black to be his godfather, not Severus. He decided to ignore the slight sting of envy he felt every time that thought crossed his mind.

As he sat back and observed the soft discussions of the Order members, he pondered over the Dark Lord's heir. For nearly a year now, they had successfully managed to conceal his presence from the world. Harry Potter continued to remain in the public eye, criticized and scrutinized while Rhyian Riddle seemed to grow and thrive with his newfound freedom.

It was only after the changes started occurring that Severus realized just how much he had misjudged the child. Throughout his first four years at Hogwarts, the boy had been in constant danger. The stress of it made him defensive and angry. He was like a tightly coiled spring, alert and wary.

Over the course of the past year, however, the child changed significantly. He proved to be just as brilliant and charismatic as his father was but he seemed to inherit his mother's reserved and calm nature. There was very little angry defiance within him as of late and sometimes Severus would find himself under the scrutiny of an almost serene stare.

It was disturbing.

Rhyian was possibly the most complex sixteen-year-old child that he had ever encountered. He presented the world with a façade of a normal teenager but Severus had come to realize that with Rhyian's experiences, being a normal teenager was something that would never be possible for him. His life had taught him things that most would never learn until much later in their lives.

Suddenly, he felt a slight burning sensation and looked down at his hand. A gold band on his middle finger was glowing. "Albus, I have to leave. It is time for me to attend to the potion I have left to sit."

"Of course, Severus." Albus nodded in permission, "You may leave. I do not think that we have anything important to discuss. If something comes up, I will inform you."

Severus nodded curtly before swiftly walking out of the room.

Albus glanced around the room, feeling a rare moment of helplessness. Everyone looked lost. The lack of activity from Voldemort's side was unnerving everyone. To them, it was like the calm before a storm. They couldn't help but feel that the Dark Lord was planning something big.

Dumbledore had to admit that he was uneasy as well. He feared that those people who believed in him would begin losing their faith. He feared that the Ministry would become complacent and the Aurors less vigilant.

He glanced at Molly, who looked unusually worried and frowned, "Molly, my dear… do you have something to share with us?"

She looked at him and sighed, "I am worried about Harry."

At that name, everyone became alert. Sirius and Remus looked at the Weasley matriarch with worried frowns. "What's wrong with Harry?"

She sighed. "The poor boy." She shook her head, "Ron doesn't tell me everything but its obvious things are getting more difficult for the child. At Hogwarts, all other students have started distancing themselves from him." Sirius' eyes narrowed. "I overheard Fred and George discussing this. They were worried that Harry is slowly distancing himself from everyone, including Ron and Hermione. Those kids are suffering, Albus." Her eyes were sad as she said this, "Ron and Hermione have taken to following Harry around so that he doesn't get ambushed or something similar. The boy is slowly losing his vibrancy."

The Headmaster sighed and leaned back in his chair. "It is as I had feared. His destiny is draining the life from him."

"Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Remus asked softly, sharing an imperceptible look with Sirius.

"The poor child." Molly moaned softly, "And he must go back to those horrible muggles after such a difficult year, Albus, are you-"

Albus raised a hand and shook his head, "I am afraid that there is little I can do about that, Molly. Harry needs that protection."

Sirius snorted, "And what about the protection against those muggles?"

Dumbledore looked at him piercingly, "I am aware that his life there is not pleasant." Sirius snorted again at the understatement. "I have even taken a precaution of weaving a charm into the wards that would prevent Harry's family from physically harming him but that is all I can do, I am afraid.

"Lily's sacrifice and protection is very potent and powerful. It is not something that we should waste." Albus admitted

"Is that protection still valid, Albus?" Remus asked even as he exchanged another glance with Sirius, "After all, You-Know-Who did use his blood for the ritual."

Dumbledore nodded, "The protection is not as strong now as it was before, however it still exists and will for quite a while. I assure you, the wards will not fail us."

Just as Sirius was about to speak, there was a knock on the door. "Ah," Albus murmured with a smile, "Our guest is here."

"Guest?" Minerva asked with a frown and Albus opened the door, letting in a young man with black hair and brown eyes. He seemed unremarkable save for the rather arrogant sneer on his face. The robes he wore were expensive and his demeanor indicated that he was a rich pureblood.

"My friends," Albus started, "This is Elijah Rockwell." They started, looking at the heir of the well-known dark pureblood family with wide, incredulous eyes. "He has kindly agreed to assist us in the fight against Voldemort." Everyone, including Rockwell, flinched at the name.

Sirius was the first to protest. "Albus! How can we be sure that he is not a De-"

"I am a Death-Eater." Elijah pointed out calmly, causing everyone to stiffen in alarm before pointing their wands at him.

"Gentlemen!" Albus raised his hand to stall the chaos that would have erupted, "If you will settle down, I will explain."

"Albus-"

"Are you out of your mi-"

"How can you possibly-"

"Silence!" The Headmaster snapped in a rare moment of agitation. "If you will allow me to speak?" he looked at them sternly, relieved when they stayed silent, watching Elijah warily.

"Now, Elijah was recently forced to join the Dark lord's ranks by his mother." Dumbledore stated, looking at everyone gravely, "Unfortunately for us, he is amongst the new recruits and does not have much direct access to Voldemort." He glanced at the young man and frowned, "Elijah has a special ability to sense a person's level of power and skills by simply touching them."

All of them still looked skeptical but knew better than to doubt the old wizard.

"This lack of activity is unsettling all of us. I have decided that we must take action now." The Headmaster looked at them piercingly, "I tentatively believe that Voldemort is so inactive simply because he may have lost a great deal of his own power." He whispered, "I have no evidence to support this but I believe that if we sit around and wait till Voldemort moves then we will lose this opportunity."

Minerva frowned, "What are you planning to do?"

Albus glanced at Elijah and nodded, "As you are aware," the young wizard began, "The Dark Lord has started recruiting talented young witches and wizards. He is not giving anyone the Dark Mark. This puts us at a disadvantage since we do not know who is a Death-Eater and who isn't." he informed, watching as the people in front of him paled. "At Hogwarts, you are able to keep an eye on those potential Death-Eaters however there are many who are recruited from other schools." Elijah narrowed his eyes, "Some of them are very powerful and skilled."

Albus nodded in agreement, "I have assigned a rather difficult task to him." The old wizard said with a sigh, "I have asked him to discover the most powerful and skilled young wizards and witches amongst the ranks. I am speaking about those around Harry's age group. He will take those children away from the corrupting influence of the Dark Lord and his army and bring them here. We can show them the right path with patience. They are just children; there is a chance that we might be able to save them."

There was a moment of tense silence before Sirius spoke up, his grey eyes narrowed. "Let me get this straight," He looked at the Headmaster, "You wish to kidnap the teenage, potential Death-Eaters right from under You-Know-Who's nose?" Everyone looked at the elderly wizard incredulously, "Are you mad, Albus?" Sirius asked loudly, "Do you realize what kind of uproar such a thing would cause!"

"I do." Albus said solemnly, "We cannot allow Voldemort to sow seeds of darkness in the future generation, Sirius." He whispered, "I want to see him and his influence on innocent minds come to an end during my lifetime and as you can see, I am not quite young." He chuckled but others were silent.

Albus sighed wearily, "I can see his influence keenly in Hogwarts." He said, "Young, talented wizards like Mr. Zabini, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Boot, etc are loyal to his cause." He looked at them from over the rim of his eyeglasses, "If I ignore the delightful Ms. Granger, they are the top-scoring students. Powerful, intelligent and influential." He shook his head sadly, "They form of the future of our world. In a few years, Draco Malfoy will possess almost as much influence as his father. Zabini is already a very shrewd young man. There are many such students, none of them, with the exception of Harry and Ms. Granger, believe in our ideals for peace and greater good."

"You want to undo the brainwashing they have been subjected to all their life?" Moody asked gruffly, "That is not going to be easy."

"I realize that." Albus admitted, "However, at this moment, I believe that we have no other choice."

* * *

Hermione excitedly drummed her fingers on the bench, her eyes restlessly scanning the park. Ron sat beside her, watching her restlessness with an amused grin. "Relax Mione, he will be here."

She narrowed her eyes at him before smiling in embarrassment, "I can't help it. We haven't seen him for a year now! He sounds perfect in his letters but you know how he tends to hide things so that they don't upset us." She stared at her hands in worry. "He hasn't told us anything about his relationship with the Malfoys or his father."

Ron shook his head at her, unfazed by the mention of the Malfoys and the Dark Lord. He had a nearly six months to adjust to the fact that his best friend was Voldemort's son and Lucius Malfoy's nephew. He still hated Malfoy and was wary of Voldemort but Harry was the one who mattered and Ron was not going to abandon his friend. He had done that mistake once and he was not about to do that again.

"Remind me once again why we selected a muggle park to meet?" Ron asked. It had been a difficult task to get away from his mother and come to the muggle world. "Mum gave me this big lecture when I left. I think the only reason she allowed this because she thinks were are dating."

Hermione sighed, "Because it is safer. By being Harry's best friends, everyone seems to recognize us on sight. In the muggle world, at least we can count on a certain amount of anonymity and privacy. Honestly Ron, for being suc-"

"_I solemnly swear I am up to no good._" A voice whispered in her ear.

Hermione stilled before letting out a shriek and spinning around to catch Rhyian in a fierce hug. "_Harry!_"

The boy stumbled and chuckled, "I see you've missed me." He gave a quirky grin at Ron who was looking at him in shock. "It's been a long time since anyone has called me by that name."

Hermione pulled away and took a good look at him, "Oh my…" she whispered, her eyes scanning his entire frame. She took in his dark blue jeans, a black shirt with a white leather jacket with a raised brow. Reaching to his face, she was greeted by the most stunning green eyes, adorable hair that seemed to be caught between being curly and wavy and an amused smile.

"My, aren't we handsome," she commented with a smile, "And tall! You must be around six feet now!"

"Give him some space, Mione." Ron said with a grin before grabbing Rhyian's arm in a firm shake. "Looking good, mate."

Rhyian grinned, "Thanks. You guys look great as well." His eyes flickered over the two of them, "A year of peace at Hogwarts and I don't get the luxury of experiencing it."

Ron snorted, "Now that Lord Chaos has left Hogwarts, peace will reign."

"Ron!" Hermione slapped his arm while Rhyian laughed, resting his face on his palm as he observed his two, well-missed friends.

"Well, it's been an interesting year." Rhyian said with a shrug, "Missed Hogwarts and the hustle bustle of it. Missed you guys a lot too."

Hermione smiled softly, "We missed you too, and Ha-"she paused and looked at him seriously, "Would you like to call you by your real name?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, mate. I was wondering about that too. You know that we wouldn't mind, don't you?"

Rhyian shrugged, "I prefer Rhyian. If you guys are comfortable using it, please do."

Hermione nodded decisively, "Rhyian it is." She reached forward to take his hand in hers, "Really, Rhyian… how are you coping? How is your relationship with your father and uncle?"

He smiled in amusement, "Apart from the fact that Uncle Lucius' sarcasm makes me grit my teeth and father's overprotective tendencies get on my nerves, I'd say we get along fine." He shook his head, "I can bet every single knut in my vault that there is at least one guard hiding somewhere, following me for my protection." He looked around in amusement, "In all seriousness, he is actually a very good father, Mione. I am happy."

"You sound it." Hermione said in approval while Ron smiled. "You look content and healthy. You feel stronger too… somehow less burdened."

Rhyian leaned back with a carefree smile that astounded them. "Yeah well… I am finally _living_, you know?" he looked at them earnestly, "This is not like spending a few months in Hogwarts, constantly looking out for danger before spending the summer with the muggles doing chores and getting yelled at. I am _living_. I admit that the first few weeks were trying. The ritual caused a lot of damage to me. Father had to perform a very powerful healing spell twice a day, everyday while I was unconscious. After that, I had to go through physical therapy sessions because Rhyian Riddle's body is quite different from Harry Potter's body. All the while, I was struggling to accept him. I guess accepting Uncle Lucius was easier, somehow. He is just my uncle but _he_ is my Father." He frowned, "I took a lot of time to adjust to that. Even now, there are some things about him that… I cannot understand or like." Rhyian paused before smiling softly, "I feel so free, Mione. I am just a normal kid now. This year Father has already taken me to France, Spain and Italy! He plans to take me to Egypt soon. I get to leave the manor and simply enjoy myself now, within reason of course."

Ron chuckled while Hermione laughed, delighted at his enthusiasm. "Well, I am happy to see you enjoying yourself. What about your studies?"

Rhyian smirked at her, "I took my OWLs at the ministry's education department, did DADA, Potions (which I am much better at now that that git is not hovering over my shoulder), Charms, Transfiguration, COMC, Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. Father refused to allow me to slack off, even for a moment." He looked at Ron with mock pain written on his features, "I not only have to study normal Hogwarts curriculum but also everything else that he thinks I ought to know. Moreover, I need to study for muggle GCSE as well."

Hermione brightened, "You are getting muggle education as well?"

The Dark Lord's son nodded, "Yeah. I actually started in my second year and had completed two before last year. Father insisted that it was a good idea and encouraged me to go further with it."

Ron grimaced, "I feel sorry for you mate."

Rhyian chuckled, "It doesn't bother me much. At the manor, there aren't too many distractions. Its either studying, flying, reading something… it used to get boring sometimes." He combed his fingers through his hair, "Aunt Narcissa is really a sweetheart. She coerced Father into allowing me to attend riding lessons. That was brilliant." He grinned, "I have my own stallion now and he is called Raiden. You guys should come over one day, you will love Raiden."

"The Slytherin manor?" Ron asked, "Has any Gryffindor ever stepped into it and you don't count. You're half n' half."

Rhyian shook his head, "Many Gryffindors have stepped into it." He looked at his friends with a sly smirk, "Or so the Great Snake himself tells me."

Ron looked confused but Hermione's eyes widened in recognition, "Great Snake? Salazar Slytherin?" she asked in a whisper.

The Dark Lord's heir nodded, "Salazar Slytherin's portrait is in my father's study. I talk to him often. He is an interesting man, certainly." He leaned forward eagerly, "Did you know that Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff aren't really their last names?"

Both Hermione and Ron looked surprised. "What are you talking about, mate? They have never been called anything else."

"It was a deception." Rhyian answered instantly, "Did you know that there was much protest to build a wizarding school from the magical community? The knowledge of spells and techniques usually stayed within the family and it was the parents' privilege to teach their children magic. Yet, Hogwarts was constructed and it even allowed children of muggles to enter and learn. At that time, muggles were extremely prejudiced and posed a great danger to the wizards. Most damage however was caused by blood-traitors."

Ron scowled, "I never thought I would hear _you_ say that word."

Rhyian's eyes softened, "I'm sorry Ron, I mean you no offence. During the time of the founders, the blood-traitors were muggle-borns who would come to the school, learn about our world, learn our spells, our strengths and weaknesses and when they had enough information, they would return to the muggle world. Once they did, they would use that knowledge against us. Many wizards and witches, most of them children, died because of them. Hence the word Blood-traitor." He looked at Hermione, "You might be interested in this. The word _Mudblood_ refers to those blood-traitors. However, the word _Firstborn_ refers to people like you, Hermione, muggle-borns that integrate themselves thoroughly into our culture and become a part of it. They are the ones who start new pureblood lines. Both Black and Malfoy lines started with a Firstborn, all those years ago."

Hermione's eyes widened, "How fascinating."

"I thought so too." Rhyian nodded, "To protect their families from the wrath of the wizards who were enraged with them for creating the school, they never let their real names be known. Lord Godric of the Brave and Humble House of Blackmore, Lady Rowena of the Wise and Ancient House of Morrigan, Lord Salazar of the Noble and Ancient House of Baneraven, Lady Helga of the Loyal and Youthful House of Valentine." He smirked in amusement, "Godric Gryffindor, the Lion Animagus, Rowena Ravenclaw, the Eagle Animagus, Salazar Slytherin the Snake Animagus and Helga Hufflepuff the Badger Animagus."

"Oh my…" Hermione whispered in realization, "Those are the names of their animagus forms?"

Rhyian nodded and Ron grinned, "That's brilliant mate, like Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail."

Hermione smiled, "This is such valuable knowledge, Rhyian. I believe that I have come across those names at least a few times in my readings."

Rhyian grinned, "That's the thing! There's this nifty spell that Salazar placed on all their names. If you're unaware of the truth, you will never make the connection between the two names. Not even once would you suspect Godric Gryffindor was actually Godric of the House of Blackmore, it's the same for all founders. That spell is still active, even after nearly a thousand years."

He leaned forward with a teasing smile, "Now, no one can truly claim to know exactly who the descendent of the founders is. With Slytherin, it's easy." He removed his eyeglasses to let them see the full glory of his silvery green eyes. The unnatural color drew a gasp from both of them. After all, behind the glasses, their effect was somewhat muted, "All _worthy_ descendents of Slytherin have eyes like mine. It is said that a High Elf blessed the House of Baneraven after one of my ancestors became his daughter's mate. By giving us Elf protection, he changed our magic a bit. Therefore, the color eyes resemble that of the elves. My father was the first one in hundreds of years who was born with Slytherin eyes. All the rest are actually marked as squibs and not allowed to touch the Baneraven inheritance, even if they did possess magic. When you see the real tapestry of my clan, you would see that the Gaunts, who were widely acknowledged to be the last descendents of Slytherin were marked as squibs it."

He lowered his voice a little, "I got to look at the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff family trees as well. Neville is a descendent of Gryffindor, the sole heir! Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff lines have flourished and branched, many can say that they descendent from the two. In fact, the Weasley clan can claim to be descendents of Ravenclaw."

Ron arched his brows, "Really?" Rhyian nodded.

Hermione turned towards Ron with a stern frown, "See, Ron? Obviously, you are capable of being intelligent. You are so lazy. You should live up to the Ravenclaw name! You _must_ concentrate more on studies! How will you become an Auror if you do not study and put in some effort. Look at Rhyian! He obviously is doing well."

Rhyian snickered and Ron glared at him, "You opened a can of worms, mate."

The dark haired boy smirked and watched his two friends bicker before a sudden thought struck him. "Ron…" The Weasley look at him questioningly and he frowned, "I expected more… uneasiness and hostility from you…"

Ron sighed and leaned back, "Look, mate, after what happened during the Triwizard tournament, I realized that I had been supremely unfair towards you. I swore then that I'd never betray you." He looked into Rhyian's eyes, "I… I will never be able to like Malfoy and will always be wary of your father but my main concern is with you. _You_ are my best friend. I don't care what your last name is or who your father is, I am concerned with Harry or Rhyian, my best mate who has always been loyal to me, who has always seen only me." Hermione smiled as Ron continued, "I know how important family is to you-you taught me the importance of family. I may be jealous of my brothers, resentful of our poverty but I have learned to accept and respect each member of my family because of you." He lowered his voice and spoke softly, "I had my doubts, of course, but looking at you now, seeing how happy and content you are, I _cannot_ resent your father. He is taking good care of you. He is giving you everything you deserve and more. You have the one thing you always wanted and I don't want to be an arse and ruin it for you."

Rhyian smiled, "Thanks mate." He turned serious once again, "How are things going… with the doppelganger and all?"

Hermione sighed, "No one suspects anything. We had a new Professor for DADA, this horrible woman from the ministry, Dolores Umbridge. She kept undermining Dumbledore and imposing these horrible restrictions on us. There were rumors that she used a blood-quill on the students who served detentions with her. We were silent of course. The doppelganger was silent too. We never got detentions." She frowned, "Dumbledore and Harry are losing credibility since the Dark Lord has been inactive this past year. Fewer and fewer people believe in the Dark Lord's return."

Rhyian nodded, "What about Sirius and Remus?"

Ron frowned, "Sirius is slowly getting mad being trapped in that dreadful house." He combed his fingers through his hair, "Mum tells us that he has started resenting Dumbledore for forcing him to stay there. Remus is all right, I guess. We haven't seen him much."

Rhyian frowned, "I will see if I can convince father to let Wormtail be captured by the ministry. We will have to plan a safe way to do so, but once we do that, Sirius will be free to do what he wants." The dark haired boy frowned, "But that would turn out to be a double-edged sword as well." He shrugged, "I will see what I can do." He glanced at something beyond them and frowned, "Its time for me to leave." He pulled out something from his jacket pocket and handed it to his friends, "We have a house in muggle London. That is the phone number. I am there quite often, mostly on weekdays though. Father has a well-established muggle identity and I have one too. You can call me there. If I am not there, leave a message and I will call you. I have written down the floo address of my room at the manor as well. Both of you are the only ones who can read it. Moreover, you can only make floo calls. There are wards against floo travel."

They nodded and stood along with Rhyian. He hugged Hermione and then Ron. "Take care, you guys."

"You too, Rhyian." Hermione whispered softly and kissed his cheek. The boy smiled before leaving with a wave. They watched as he approached a black, rich looking car that Hermione guessed was a BMW, smiling when the driver opened the door for him with a bow.

"He has turned into a little prince, hasn't he?" Ron asked in amusement, "Look at the way he walks and talks, like people of fine breeding. Malfoy would be green with envy."

Hermione giggled and waved at Rhyian as he glanced at them before disappearing into the car. "Yes. I am just glad that he looks happy."

Ron smiled, his eyes following the car, "Yeah." He whispered, "Me too." He looked at her seriously, "Should we have told him?"

Hermione shook her head with a sad frown, "No, Ron. He doesn't need to worry about such things." She sat down and looked up at the sky, "He still views James and Lily Potter with a great deal of reverence. He still loves Sirius… If he finds out… it will break his heart."

Ron sighed and sat down beside her, combing his fingers through his hair, "You realize that the murder of the Potters is the only thing that stands between him and his father?"

Hermione nodded slowly, "In time, that will fade, Ron. Rhyian is slowly starting to love Mr. Riddle. I can see it." She smiled, "Did you see the childishness in his eyes? The mischief and freedom? When have we ever seen such an expression on his face, Ron? He doesn't need to know about this. In time, Potters will fade from his mind. In time, his affection for Sirius will decrease. He cannot continue to regard Sirius so highly if he doesn't even get to talk to him or write letters to him."

"I guess." Ron said and leaned back, gritting his teeth, "I _still_ can't believe those people. At least Regulus Black had his reasons."

Hermione frowned, "I know." She whispered softly.

* * *

"Young Master, Master wishes to see you in his study." The house-elf that appeared in front of him as soon as he stepped into the manor, said.

Rhyian raised a brow before nodding and walking towards his father's rooms. Meeting Ron and Hermione had put him in a great mood. Ron acceptance had come as a surprise because he had never believed it when Ron implied it in his letters. He removed his leather jacket and donned a deep black robe. Appearing in front of his father muggle clothes was a sure way to irritate him.

Once he reached his father's room, he placed his hand over the handle and leaned forward, "_May fate smile upon Rhyian._" He hissed, rolling his eyes but a smile lingered on his lips. It was an odd thing to know that every time he opened the door to his father's room, the password would reinforce the blessing that was bestowed upon him at birth.

'_I am already covered from head to toe with various magical protections, what more do I need?_' he thought to himself as he walked into his father's study.

"Rhyian." Voldemort greeted absently from his seat, reading something. "How was your day? Enjoyed your time with Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley?"

The teen sat down beside his father, curiously peering at what he was reading, "Yes. It was pleasant." It was a petition to allow the wand makers to make custom wands for adults once they finish their NEWTs. The practice of making custom wands was banned around hundred years ago and for no apparent reason. He frowned as he read, "They would never allow this petition to pass."

"Hmm." Voldemort murmured while Rhyian continued reading, not paying attention to the fingers that were now combing through his hair. "It is worth a try. Cornelius is desperate to gain favor and this allows him to win the favor of many people. With Dumbledore's credibility in shambles, this is one bill that has a very good chance of becoming a law."

Rhyian smirked, "So, if this goes through, my wand becomes legal?" he flicked his wrist and a beautiful black wand appeared in his hand. It was a custom wand made in Rome. Ebony and Thunderbird tail feature suspended in his uncle's Lamia blood.

Voldemort glanced at his son's wand and shook his head, "An adult that has finished his NEWTs. You are far from that, child."

Rhyian shrugged, twirling his wand expertly, smiling when a few golden sparks emerged from it and created a beautiful dance of lights in front of his eyes. "Father?" Voldemort hummed in question, "Is Pettigrew very precious to your cause?"

The Dark Lord paused and narrowed his eyes at his son. "This is about Black?"

"He is going insane trapped in that wretched house. However, I don't know if proving him innocent is a very good idea. If he gains pardon from the ministry, he could get custody of Harry which means my doppelganger will have to live with him during summers." He looked at his father with a frown, "He would surely spot something suspicious. However, if he stays in that house, alone and isolated, for long. It is very likely that he would do something stupid and end up killing himself."

Voldemort put away the scroll and looked at Rhyian with an arched brow. "You could always tell Black the truth and bring him here."

Rhyian sighed and leaned back, "No." he said, "Sirius will never agree to that. In fact, if I do tell him, Remus is the first person he will go to and Dumbledore next. Is there some way for us to prevent Sirius from getting custody?"

"Dumbledore may do that job for us." Voldemort pointed out, "He believes in the potency of the blood wards around Evans' muggle sister's home. He might not allow Black to gain custody of the doppelganger because of that very reason." He narrowed his eyes, "Of course, there is the small matter of Pettigrew himself. He knows too much for me to let him go scot-free. If he finds out that I have forsaken him, he would probably offer his services to the Ministry and we both know that those incompetent people would capitalize on the opportunity."

The younger wizard groaned, combing his fingers through his hair, "You know what, forget about it for the time being. I am in too good a mood to ponder over such things."

Voldemort looked down at him in amusement, "Oh?"

"I am still shocked at how well Ron has taken everything. I would have expected at least a little anger from him but he said nothing. He was perfectly accepting. I am very pleased." Rhyian said with a smile, "Father, can I invite them here this summer? Only for a day, because I don't think they can escape the Order's suspicion if they stay longer. I have so many things to show them! I want to introduce them to Raiden as well."

"Inform me when you wish for them to come, I will make certain that there are no death-eaters in the manor at that time." The Dark Lord stated, "Of course, you know that there are certain areas that you cannot allow them to visit." He narrowed his eyes at his son, "That includes the library. Your muggle-born friend may love books but those tomes have been in our family for generations and an outsider has never laid eyes on them."

Rhyian nodded and just when he was about to speak once again, another voice interrupted him, "Tom, why don't you inform Rhyian about our discussion?"

Both father and son looked at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, Rhyian in confusion and his father in understanding. "Salazar believes that now you are comfortable and self-confident enough to be officially introduced to my Death-Eaters." Voldemort stated, "He thinks that you must be exposed to leadership and they must be exposed to you."

Rhyian arched a brow at Voldemort's frown. "You doubt him?"

The Dark Lord looked at Salazar before turning towards Rhyian. "You are nearly sixteen but still a year away from your inheritance. Moreover, you have much to learn. You must gain more experience. You are in a stage of your life that is best left untouched. There is no need for you to get involved now."

"He is a young man." Salazar pointed out with a scowl, "And he is no stranger to being a leader. You know this. You simply wish to shelter and coddle him."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes furiously and glared at the portrait of his ancestor, his magic responding to his ire and flaring out. "He is a child." He hissed and Rhyian tried not to be offended, "My death-eaters are war-hardened practitioners of dark magic while Rhyian has just recently started to dabble in it. His very presence speaks of innocence; his magic is pure and untainted. While powerful, he is not intimidating enough nor matured enough to handle that society."

"You don't believe I am capable?" Rhyian asked with a frown, feeling more than a little injured by his father's lack of trust in his abilities.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, "I will not let you guilt me into this, my heir." He whispered, reaching forward to cup his chin and make him look into Voldemort's eyes. "You are capable of many things. You are powerful, your magic is more potent than you can imagine but it needs to be nurtured carefully. Every day you progress further, and I can see your skills grow as you evolve into the man my death-eaters will respect and fear. However, now is not your time. It is the time for you to study, to learn as much as you can, and to enjoy your life without concerns of war and other problems hindering you and your happiness."

Salazar frowned, "The sooner he starts, the better it is for him."

"No." Rhyian whispered, looking at the founder as he stood. "It's alright. Excuse me," he murmured before swiftly walking out of the room, more upset than he had thought he would be.

"Tom-"

"No, Salazar." Voldemort stated firmly, "I understand how you feel but Dumbledore has forced Rhyian into the habit of assuming that solving this conflict is his responsibility since he was a young child. At the moment, his life has become a little monotonous compared to his earlier adventures. He has more freedom than he ever experienced before. He no longer needs to glance over his shoulder at every turn because I have done my utmost to keep him protected. This stress-free life is now getting a bit old and he wants to participate in something concrete."

"If you understand this then why are you not allowing him to participate?" Salazar asked curiously.

Pale green eyes looked up from the reports to glance at the founder. "I am stalling."

The portrait seemed confused, "Stalling?"

The Dark Lord leaned back, twirling his wand with his fingers, "I wish to give him something that I never had, Salazar. His days are now spent flying, riding, studying and going out to meet new friends. These are normal activities for a child. When I was his age, I made my first Horcrux. I will not allow him to drown in Dark Magic before he is ready to handle it. When he is seventeen, the Lamia inheritance will enable him to learn and practice dark magic without fear of repercussions. I will start teaching him and allow him to mingle with my Death-Eaters then. For now, I wish to preserve that innocence."

Salazar observed him carefully for a long moment before inclining his head in agreement. "Very well. You have me convinced." Suddenly, the long dead wizard smirked, "Now that he is upset with you, what are you going to do?"

Voldemort arched a brow at him, looking impassive, "He may be my spoilt little child, but that does not mean that I will give into his every demand. He will sulk for a while before he regains his earlier humor."

Salazar looked at him in amusement before nodding in acceptance.

* * *

Rhyian did not know whether to be disappointed, furious, upset or resigned. He sat underneath a large cherry blossom tree, one of the many that decorated the manor grounds and gazed up at the branches with a frown.

He wondered if the things that his father had offered him were any different from what Dumbledore did. With Dumbledore, he was similarly protected but his cage was less pleasant. Here…

He paused and shook his head. "That's wrong." He murmured, "_Isn't it Nagini?_" he looked down at the large magical snake that was lazing in his lap. "_Father isn't like Dumbledore._"

The snake hissed, rising up and nudging his chin with her snout in question, "_I told him, a year ago, that I did not want to involve myself in this conflict._" He hissed softly, "_I told him that I wished to be normal and live a simple life._" He reached down and caressed her cool scales with a frown, "_I think being normal is not want I want._" He smiled, "_I want to be special but on my own terms. I want to be someone father can trust and rely on, but I am too young?_" he looked down at her, "_Am I really, Nagini? Is this what a normal childhood supposed to be like? All fun and games, this feeling of absolute safety; this feeling of absolute trust in someone else? In parents? I feel let down, almost petulant, when he doesn't involve me in what he deems to be __**adult **__matters and I have seen Mrs. Weasley do the same with Ron and the others… I guess it is normal._" He frowned, "_But he tells me many things. He doesn't seem to hide his plans from me. He discusses his dealings with the death-eaters and his meetings with potential allies with me… he listens to me, he seems to respect my opinion but… if it is too dangerous, he refuses to involve me at all._"

"_Master protects his young._" Nagini hissed, "_Master does his duty. Master is the sire._"

Rhyian nodded absently, "_I guess you are right._" He then sighed, "_I am being unreasonable, aren't I?_" he grinned down at her, "_I met my friends today. Father says that they can come visit me soon. How do you think they will react to Vasu? I told them about Raiden but not about Vasuki. I think they will be shocked._"

Nagini simply hissed in response, indulging her master's son by listening to his chatter.

"Why is it that when _you_ speak in Parseltongue, it sounds pleasant but when your father uses it, it sounds frightening, Rhyian?" A drawling voice asked suddenly and Rhyian looked up in surprise.

Draco Malfoy stood in front of him, his arms crossed. Beside him, there was another wizard, looking at him with slightly wide eyes.

Rhyian hissed in irritation, "Draco…" he murmured in a low, dangerous voice, "What are you doing here?" he asked pointedly, his eyes only briefly flickering towards the person who stood beside him.

The Malfoy could perceive his disapproval and looked confused for a moment before he realized just what he had done. He paled, looking at Rhyian with wide eyes. "Rhy-"

The Dark Lord's heir stood his eyes narrowed and icy. Gently, he let Nagini slide to the ground, "_Go to father, Nagini and stay there. I must deal with this presumptuous git._"

Nagini slithered away obediently while Rhyian fingered his wand, somehow managing to look down at Malfoy even though the blonde was a bit taller than him. "Well?" he asked softly.

Draco quickly composed himself, looking a little worried. "Sorry, I didn't realize-" he took a deep breath, trying not to flinch when Rhyian's eyes narrowed. "Look, I am s-"

"Malfoy, why don't you introduce us?" The older wizard cut in smoothly, looking composed and impassive.

Draco was in a difficult position. Rhyian was not someone whose orders Draco could afford to ignore but he couldn't just lie or cheat his way out of the situation. He was trapped and Rhyian's icy glare was enough to tell him that he was going to pay for his recklessness later.

There was a moment of tense silence where Draco failed to respond. Rhyian observed the two in front of him for a moment before spinning on his heel and walking away.

"Rhyian." He stilled, his back tense.

"I was not aware that our Lord had an heir."

Draco froze in his place, swallowing nervously when Rhyian tilted his head a little, glancing at them from over his shoulder. "And what makes you so certain that I am his heir?"

"The Dark Lord does not recruit idiots, young master." The older wizard replied impassively.

Rhyian hummed and started walking away once again, "It seems he does." He replied as Draco and the unknown wizard followed him. "After all, there are two idiots who dare to follow me when I don't wish to be followed."

"Rhyian, I said I am sorry." Draco hissed, "I forgot-"

"My name is Elijah Rockwell, sir." The wizard interrupted causing Draco to glare at him, "And I do not believe that it is Malfoy's fault. I wished to explore a little and he indulged me."

Rhyian paused in his steps, looking down at the hand on his arm with a fierce scowl. "Unhand me, Rockwell or I shall teach you just how to conduct yourself in the manor. _Forcefully._" He hissed.

Elijah withdrew his hand, looking a little pale, and his eyes wide and somewhat frightened. Rhyian felt his own gaze narrow in suspicion. There was something off about the man., something in his forward manner and keen intelligence unsettled Rhyian.

He turned around and looked at Elijah, that brown gaze was now calculating, his eyes flickering towards Draco and then Rhyian and his wand.

It was as though he was calculating an ambush.

Rhyian's instincts had not dulled. He recognized an enemy when he saw one and he recognized them _immediately_.

Rhyian felt a slow smirk crawl onto his lips, "I think," he almost purred, "That the Dark Lord will be most interested in speaking with you, Mr. Rockwell."

The man stiffened while Draco's eyes narrowed, glancing at Elijah suspiciously. Rhyian was thankful to note that his cousin was not stupid.

When a hint of panic entered into Rockwell's eyes, Rhyian realized his mistake. The first thing that his father had taught him was about the _flight or fight_ response that everyone had when they felt they were in danger. It was easy to see the sudden fear in the man's eyes, he was well aware that either of the options would be dangerous for him. If Rockwell fled, he would have valuable information and if he fought, Rhyian knew that it was highly likely that both Draco and he could be seriously injured.

He schooled his features to appear neutral but the damage was done. Rockwell had a tight grasp on his wand and he was looking at Draco and Rhyian with a calculating expression.

Everything happened too quickly for them to comprehend. There was a high-pitched hiss and Rhyian spotted Vasuki out of the corner of his eyes. The large King Cobra had his hood flared, his eyes trained on the person he perceived as a threat to his master.

Rhyian felt his entire body still in panic when Rockwell sent a slashing hex at his beloved familiar before swiftly casting a Cruciatus on Draco. His snake, thankfully escaped but Draco was not so lucky. He let out a scream and fell to the ground, shaking and crying out.

_That_ was Rockwell's first mistake. No one could cast an Unforgivable curse when present on the manor grounds without the wards immediately notifying his father. He knew that his father was probably on his way to investigate and he dodged a Cruciatus sent in his direction, sending a Stunner at Rockwell.

"You are very powerful, young master but your skills with the Dark Arts is woefully lacking." Rockwell whispered, "_Confringo!_"

Rhyian scowled. "_Protego. Expelliarmus._" he hissed softly, keeping an eye on his gasping and shaking cousin. Rhyian knew that it was Draco's first taste of Cruciatus.

He knew what Rockwell was doing. He was slowly backing away, heading towards the edge of the wards so he could apparate away.

Rhyian was not going to permit that.

"_Reducto!_" The curse threw Rockwell off his feet and Rhyian reacted quickly, "_Incarcerous._" The ropes quickly reached out to surround him.

It was an accident or perhaps Rhyian's good fortune because Rockwell had cast a dark and powerful slashing hex when he was knocked off his feet and bound. The spell would have effectively slit his throat and killed him instantly but Rockwell missed. The Dark Lord heir fell to his knees with a dangerously large, bleeding gash on his torso, starting from his right shoulder and all the way down to his waist on the left side of his chest.

Rhyian glared at the bound man with pained eyes, gasping and angry that the stupid traitor had managed to wound him. "You are a dead man walking, Rockwell," he hissed, smirking grimly when his father's roar of rage reached his ears. "You were a dead man the moment you raised your wand against me."

"_Crucio!_" A dark hissing voice whispered and his uncle knelt before him with Severus already tending to Draco.

"Rhyian," Lucius whispered, swiftly waving his wand to banish his robe and his shirt. The Malfoy Lord seemed to have stopped breathing as he jerked his wand sharply, causing white bandaged to emerge from the tip and wrap tightly around Rhyian's chest, "What happened?" Lucius asked softly as he carried him in arms, moving towards the manor at speeds that Rhyian's knew that no human could match.

"_How dare you?_" His father's furious voice reached his ears and he closed his eyes, knowing that the Dark Lord would deal with everything.

"Was acting suspicious," He whispered to his uncle groggily, the blood-loss finally draining his energy away. "Confronted him."

Lucius hissed sharply, "Foolish."

Rhyian buried his face in his uncle's neck and groaned when chilling and powerful arms tightened around him protectively. "Know. Sorry. Father?"

Lucius walked into Rhyian's room, quickly summoning the House-Elf to bring certain potions. "Your father is sure to arrive soon after he is finished with Rockwell." Lucius informed him, "Let him deal with his rage first lest he lose his temper and cast a Cruciatus on _you_."

Rhyian closed his eyes in pain, "He won't."

"For your foolishness, I think he will, in his current mood." Lucius stated, narrowing his eyes at him.

Severus swiftly walked into the room just as Twinky brought the potions. The dark haired wizard snatched the vials from the poor creature impatiently, examining them with a scowl. "Draco told me what happened." The Potion's master murmured and forced a Blood-replenishing potion down Rhyian's throat. "I wonder if _either_ of my godsons have anything between their ears." He glared at Rhyian when the boy smiled feebly, "You haven't lost your Gryffindor recklessness." He sighed, "But I concede that it was more Draco's fault than yours."

Lucius arched a brow, "Severus?"

"Draco, Rockwell and several other new and potential recruits were supposed to stay in the meeting chamber while we spoke to the Dark Lord." Severus explained, "Your son, in his arrogance, stated how he knew every nook and cranny of the Dark Lord's dwelling. When Rockwell doubted him, Draco saw it fit to show him around the estate."

Lucius cursed under his breath and narrowed his eyes.

"They came across Rhyian. He was speaking with Nagini, so you can imagine how easy it was for Rockwell to connect the dots since Rhyian looks and behaves so much like our Lord when in company of strangers." Severus pointed out and twirled his wand, casting a powerful and dark healing spell on Rhyian's wound. "Draco was clueless but Rhyian seemed to suspect the man instantly." He arched a brow at the teenage wizard and Rhyian sighed.

"He was too smart. He seemed to be gauging me and Draco and somehow I got the feeling that he would attack." Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "Rockwell was too persistent, too interested in me. The manner in which he kept glancing at my wand and our surroundings was suspicious. I felt _something_ when he touched me, almost as though a ward was scanning me…" he frowned and looked at Severus in question, "He was frightened for a moment and when I implied that father would be interested in talking to him, he panicked."

"Is that so?" A voice drawled from the doorway and Rhyian looked up, smiling a bit sheepishly at his father.

"I am sorry."

Voldemort scoffed before glancing at Lucius, "Keep that brat of yours out of my sight for a while, Lucius, lest I kill him." He hissed, "I do not suffer fools. Especially fools who recklessly endanger my son's life."

"Forgive me, my lord." Lucius bowed in apology, "I shall be having words with Draco."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, "See that you do." He ignored his son for a moment, turning to Severus with a raised brow.

"It is a deep wound, my lord." The potion's master admitted, looking down at the pale looking Rhyian with a frown, "The spell I cast on him would need to be reinforced every night for a couple of days. He mustn't move much until the wound is completely closed." He grimaced, "There may be scarring." Voldemort scowled, displeased, "I will try my best to prevent it but it is likely. I have given him a potion that suppresses the pain largely. He would not be able to sleep otherwise and I do not recommend a sleeping spell or potion now."

Voldemort frowned and looked down at his son's sleepy eyes, a brief look of absolute, burning fury crossing his smooth features. He waved his hand impatiently, dismissing both Severus and Lucius.

"I had assumed that you had decided to stay out of trouble," Voldemort stated dryly as he sat down on Rhyian's bed, reaching forward with his hand to close his son's eyes.

"Not my fault," Rhyian retorted petulantly, shaking his head to dislodge his father's hand. The Dark Lord tsked but kept his palm over Rhyian's eyes.

"Stay still and sleep will come to you. The potion Severus gave to you will only last that long," the older wizard warned in a whisper, his lips twitching when he felt his son's eyelashes flutter softly against his palm. "We will talk when you are feeling better."

"Rockwell was behaving suspiciously, dad." Rhyian whispered, his voice pleading, "I was so annoyed that Draco revealed my existence to him that I forgot caution. I am sorry."

Voldemort frowned, "Sleep, Rhyian. I am not annoyed with you."

"Draco?"

"He is fine and yes, I will not punish him. Lucius has said that he will deal with the situation. I am well aware that you have grown fond of him." Voldemort stated impassively, waving his wand so that the heavy drapes covered the large windows, effectively blocking the sunlight.

Rhyian snorted, "I am not fond of the git." He murmured sleepy. "I feel woozy."

"Stop talking," Voldemort ordered and raised his hand, smirking when his son obediently kept his eyes closed and stayed still. It was only a few moments before the Dark Lord was certain that the child was asleep.

He suppressed a snarl as he shifted and leaned back against the headboard. Someone had managed to attack his son in his own home, his own servant had tried to kill his son. He could barely contain his own rage. His hand was itching to torture the bastard that now sat in his dungeon.

Voldemort had always known that as his son, Rhyian would be an all-too-enticing target. In an effort to prevent his son from committing the same mistakes he did, he had kept Rhyian from learning more dangerous and dark spells. The child knew a lot about theory but Voldemort did not allow him to practice a single corrupting spell.

That had placed Rhyian in a very precarious situation, surrounded by Death-Eaters and masters of different forms of Dark magic, lacking the knowledge he needed to defend himself. Voldemort was not underestimating his son. For his age, Rhyian was quite powerful and skilled. His dueling techniques made him quite proud but Rhyian's arsenal consisted of highly advanced Light spells but only a few true dark spells.

He sat there, observing his son in darkness, contemplating his course of action. It wasn't until Lucius brought him a file filled with Rockwell's confessions that Voldemort made his decision. It was by no means an easy one. There were pros and cons but he realized just how necessary it was to keep Rhyian safe until his inheritance. After that, his son would be less vulnerable, much harder to _injure_ much less kill. Moreover, he would be immune to the corrupting influence of the Dark Arts and Voldemort would finally be able to teach him all he knew.

Until then…

"Lucius."

The Malfoy looked at him in askance. "Find a safe, isolated and remote _muggle _settlement that would be fit for Rhyian. Away from England… away from _Europe._"

Lucius' eyes widened as he understood. "My lord, are you certain?"

Voldemort nodded, "He needs to be safe until he comes of age, Lucius. If Dumbledore is planning to become active, Rhyian's well-being is at risk. I will not abide by that. Find some place that is barely there on the map. Arrange everything. Enroll him in Muggle School, purchase a respectable house and a good car, muggle clothes and anything else that he would need to blend in. Ask Ms. Granger for assistance, if you must. I want everything ready by the end of this week."

Lucius looked at Voldemort cautiously, "Rhyian will not be pleased with this."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, "I am more concerned about his well-being than his _approval_ Lucius. Now, do as I say."

"Yes, My Lord."


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Summary: Hermione was always regarded as the smartest witch of her generation. Her intelligence cost Albus Dumbledore dearly while Harry gained something precious.**

**Warnings: Harry Potter and Twilight crossover. Slash. Completely AU from the Goblet of Fire onwards.**

**Pairings: Edward Cullen/Harry Potter, Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale/Emmett Cullen, Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley/Undecided**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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"Tom." The American Minister, Hayden Christoff, greeted him when he entered his office. "How may I be of assistance to you?"

Voldemort took a seat and eyed the minister intently. There was a perfectly polite smile on his lips but it did nothing to hide the cunning in his eyes. The Dark lord was well aware that the man sitting in front of him was his match. A Dark Wizard of great power and influence.

He was also aware that the man may be a dark wizard, but he was not an ally.

"You remember Adrianna?"

"I do." The minister tilted his head gracefully, his lips twitching into a smirk, "I believe she was the lovely lady who managed to ensnare you."

Voldemort smirked faintly, "'_A pearl necklace in the hands of a monkey'_ Isn't that what you said?" he laced his fingers and looked at the minister with amused eyes, "You are one of the few people who would _dare_ call me a monkey to my face."

"I did, didn't I?" Christoff chuckled, "She was a true beauty." He looked at the Dark Lord and smirked, "Of course, even as her mate, you hardly ever spared a glance at her. What a loss and such cruelty." He looked at him keenly, "Yet, in the end, her loss devastated you. She got the love she deserved from you even if you say you are incapable of it."

Voldemort closed his eyes. "She gave me a son."

The minister stilled, his sharp blue eyes intent on the Dark Lord. "I have successfully managed to hide his existence but I can no longer do so safely. My rival is becoming rather _bold_." Dangerous green eyes narrowed, "I wish to hide him."

"Ah." The minister uttered softly, "A son, eh? What a surprise. I wasn't aware that you would desire such a thing… how old is he?"

"Sixteen."

The blonde leaned forward, his eyes flashing in surprise, "He is _your_ child. I would have expected him to be used to the dangers of your world…"

Voldemort looked at him, "You have a son as well, do you not? A son and a daughter… I shouldn't have to explain my reasons to you."

The wizard chuckled and nodded, "I understand. You wish to forego all official paperwork and hide him in America? Where?"

"Forks, Washington."

The minister's lips twitched, "Hiding a lamia child amongst vampires, are you?" Christoff waved his wand and summoned a few papers. "It will take a little effort but it is nothing that I cannot do. Is this a permanent arrangement?"

Voldemort raised a brow, "After all that has happened, you expect me to stay away from my child for more than a required period of time?"

Hayden smirked, "I guess not. Till he is seventeen then?"

"Yes." The dark lord nodded, "I know that I cannot ask you to provide him with active protection, that will draw too much attention… perhaps you could _discourage_ outsiders from seeking him."

The minister nodded, "Of course, Tom. I will not let anything happen to your son if I can prevent it." He frowned at the papers and nodded, "His name?"

"Rhyian Thomas Riddle." Voldemort stated and waved his wand, summoned a photograph of his son and handed it to Hayden.

The minister arched a brow, "Well, I'll be damned." He whispered, observing the photograph with twitching lips. "Tom, simply looking at this child will tell Dumbledore everything. Did you, perchance, clone yourself?"

Tom snorted, "Ours is a reawakened lineage, Hayden. My mother was a fool but her foolishness turned out to be a blessing. She cleansed our bloodline. The weak muggle blood was effective in counteracting the mistake of the Gaunts. We are almost like _First Borns_. Naturally, he takes after me. The traits of the Baneraven clan are very strong in him."

Hayden nodded thoughtfully, "And Rhyian's blood is purer. With the Ancient Malfoy lineage and your reawakened legacy…" he smirked a bit, "Quite a handsome little guy, you have here, Tom."

"_Little?_" Tom asked with a raised brow, "He is hardly little. He may be quite lean but his height is nothing to scoff at. He is already six feet tall and has a few years to go before he stops growing." He eyes flickered towards the photograph and he mimicked the minister's smirk, "Yes, he is quite handsome and he knows it."

"Oh?" Hayden asked in amusement, "A charmer? Like you?"

"Definitely." Voldemort confirmed, "I believe that he has a rather large following at the places he usually visits for entertainment on weekends." The Dark Lord leaned back, his legs crossed elegantly, "Though he is still quite pure and doesn't take advantage of the fact as most boys his age would." His eyes narrowed, "It is surprising how untainted he is… being _my_ son."

Hayden smirked, "Well, I understand. My daughter is the same, innocent and fragile in ways my son will never be, the brat is an absolute nightmare." He looked at Voldemort, "It would take me about a week to arrange everything. If he needs a driver's license then he would have to take his test in Washington. Am I correct in assuming that he needs a muggle identity?"

Voldemort nodded and handed him the papers that established Rhyian's muggle identity in England. "These are the papers I think you would need. His muggle birth certificate, school records, GCSE results. I have papers establishing my own muggle identity as well, just incase it is needed. Then there is Henry Warrington, he is one of my lesser-known acquaintances. Officially, you can list him as a guardian to Rhyian while he is here, though he is, in actuality, a butler who will cater to Rhyian's needs."

"Will he be using magic regularly?" The minister questioned as he browsed through the papers.

"Yes. However, it will be in a warded training room. I will inform him to be judicious about using magic outside the house." Voldemort frowned, "Rhyian is not irresponsible so I do not expect him to get involved in any trouble. Unless trouble finds him, of course."

"Hmm." The minister murmured thoughtfully, "You are thorough. Well, I will contact you if I need anything else but for now, I think you have everything covered." He looked at the Dark Lord, "Tom…" he paused and Voldemort arched a brow, "You know that the best way to protect the boy is to train him to be strong. Is Rhyian trained in the Dark Arts?"

Voldemort leaned back, "Why do you think I am sending him here? If I was confident that Rhyian is strong enough to look after himself, I would have never attempted this." He shook his head, "I have trained him but I have been very cautious. I have not allowed him to venture into Dark Arts too much."

"Tom, I understand that but-"

"I know." He said, "You will understand why I did so when you meet him." He shook his head, "For the year while he is here, he will learn. I am going to get him started on some of the darker curses. They are corruptive but I do not have a choice. I will be using a Cleansing Ritual on him so that no damage is done to him."

Hayden's eyes widened, "Cleansing Ritual? Tom… that…"

Voldemort shrugged, "I already have too much corruption in me. Drawing it from Rhyian and letting it enter my body would only cause marginal pain and nothing more."

"_Marginal_ pain?" The American minister question with a raised brow, "It will be equivalent to a rather potent Cruciatus, I know. I did the same with Helena, my daughter, when she got fascinated with Dark Arts and practiced it without my knowledge." He grimaced, "When she saw me going through that, she swore off magic for a long while…"

Tom closed his eyes calmly, "I will not allow Rhyian to see it. He will be unconscious every time I perform the ritual." His lips twitched in a slight smirk, "He is perceptive but only so much." He drummed his fingers against the armrest and frowned slightly, "Though, it would do me no good to underestimate the child. I will be cautious." He rose, running his hand over his robes absently to straighten them, "I must take my leave." He narrowed his eyes at the minister, "Can I count on your discretion?"

Hayden nodded, "I swear it." There was a brief flare of magic and Tom nodded.

"I am grateful. Thank you Hayden." Voldemort stated before walking out of the office.

The American minister looked down at the photograph of the child and smiled softly, "Even the darkest of all Dark Lords can be undone by such innocence." He chuckled, "Tom will happily kill me if I let anything happen to the child."

* * *

Lucius stood silently behind his lord as the wizard inspected the house in front of them. It was a large, beautiful looking structure but not big enough for Rhyian to feel uncomfortable. "I am pleased, Lucius. I assume that everything is in order?"

Lucius nodded, "Yes, my lord. The car and the bike are in the garage. I have enrolled him into muggle high school and checked to see if there is any way Dumbledore or his people can track him here."

Voldemort arched a brow in question and the Malfoy lord shook his head, "He is safe here. There is a coven of muggle Vampires near by but they only feed on animal blood. A tribe of shape-shifters resides in the near by reservation and they are harmless as well. With their notable presence, Rhyian will be ignored. The coven has many talented muggle vampires. One of them is a seer."

Voldemort's lips twitched into a smirk. "Yes, I am aware of that. Those vampires will subconsciously protect a lamia child. It would come instinctively to them… especially to the women." He raised his wand and concentrated on the house, "This house is isolated enough for me to set up expansive wards around the property. Lucius, bring out the car and the bike, have Antonin place some wards on them."

Lucius bowed his head and hurried over to the garage while Voldemort removed three vials of Rhyian's blood from his robes. He concentrated; bringing his magic to the surface as he carefully coated his wand with Rhyian's blood. Looking at the house, he narrowed his eyes before moving his wand delicately in small circles and sharp slicing movements, his lips moving to whisper a long incantation.

A large, intricate web began to form in front of his eyes, vivid red strings spinning around the property protectively, pulsing with magic. His eyes were crimson as he drew more magic from his core, his lips pressed in a thin line. Blood magic was the best option for wards. The protection of blood was far more potent than any other protection.

Lucius and Antonin Dolohov brought out Rhyian's vehicles. Voldemort did not even spare them a glance as he concentrated on his task. He trusted Antonin, perhaps even more than he trusted Lucius. He would allow the man to ward Rhyian's car and bike.

Once the wards were set and the three vials empty, he stepped back, observing his work with keen eyes. Looking down at his hand, he removed Lordship ring of the Baneraven clan and concentrated his magic on it.

Instantly, he felt the sentient patron of their clan respond to his call.

'_What is your wish, Lord?_' A hissing voice whispered in his mind and Voldemort closed his eyes, a picture of Rhyian appearing in his mind.

'_Our young heir needs protection away from the manor?_' Voldemort nodded his head in agreement, '_Why must he be taken away from our primary settlement?_'

'_I cannot reveal his identity to my enemies._' The Dark Lord answered, '_I ask you reinforce these wards. Rhyian wears my locket and his heir ring constantly, you can anchor a portion of your powers in them._'

'_We do not appreciate being separated from him once again._' The hissing voices whispered once again, sounding agitated.

'_Neither do I._' Voldemort answered calmly, '_His safety must take precedence over our wishes. He has already been attacked within our primary settlement._' He reminded them and there was a tense silence in response.

In front of him, the wards flared suddenly, glowing in a brilliant shade of green, a large, barely visible snake coiling around the dome protectively. '_You will be informed instantly if anyone with ill-intent enters these wards. We will keep an eye on our child but as far as we are some our primary settlement, there is very little true protection we can offer._'

'_I understand.' _Voldemort answered, observing the powerful wards with a small frown. He was uneasy about having his son away from him but it was very fortunate that Dumbledore did not know of Rhyian's existence. He wanted to keep the old man in ignorance for as long as he could. The best way to do so would be to keep the child away from him.

He scowled, turning his head to look at Antonin as he placed wards on the muggle vehicles. It was a delicate task to ward something like that but Antonin was good enough at warding to accomplish the task.

"When is Rhyian set to arrive, Lucius?"

The Malfoy quickly consulted his pocket-watch and nodded, "Within an hour, my lord. His flight must have landed by now."

"Antonin?"

"Both the car and the bike are secure." The Death-Eater whispered in a scratchy voice, "Young master can use them safely. I have not added any enhancements, my lord."

Voldemort became silent for a while, staring at the house that his son would be living in for the next year. "_Lucius…_" he whispered, "If _anything_ happens to my boy here, yours is the first neck I will sever."

Lucius swallowed and composed himself. "Understood, my lord."

The atmosphere was tense after that warning. Lucius may have been the Dark Lord's servant but he was still Rhyian's uncle and had a certain fondness for him. He was just as displeased with the idea of having Rhyian away from their protection as the Dark Lord was.

"My lord…" Antonin called for his attention tentatively, "Forgive me, my lord, I do not wish to be insolent and question you but young master seemed most upset by your decision. Is it really wis-"

Voldemort raised a hand to stall him and frowned, looking at the sky with narrowed eyes. It was true that Rhyian had not been pleased with the decision. In fact, Voldemort was certain that his headstrong son had cried in his room that night.

**

* * *

  
**

"_It wasn't my fault!" Rhyian cried out, frustrated. "You said that you didn't blame me for what happened then why are you sending me away!"_

"_It is for your own safety Rhyian." Voldemort stated calmly._

_Rhyian laughed harshly, "If I had a galleon for every time someone has said that to me, I would be a self-made millionaire!" He combed his fingers through his hair, "It was Dumbledore's favorite excuse and now it is yours too!"_

_Voldemort leaned forward, his eyes narrowing dangerously, "It is not an excuse, Rhyian. Dumbledore and his men do not know that you exist and as long as they do not know that, you are safe. The old man is becoming more active. He is taking an aggressive stance and if he catches hold of you…" The Dark Lord shook his head, "You must think rationally. You are not stupid."_

"_Bull-shit! This manor is well protected. Just because __**one**__ spy slipped past our notice doesn't mean anything! You just want to send me away because you think-" Rhyian stilled abruptly, his entire body stiff and numb. He looked at his father with wide eyes, wincing when he saw the yew wand pointed at him. _

"_You will mind you tongue, Rhyian." Voldemort hissed softly, "Don't make assumptions, my heir. You do not know of my thoughts, if you did…"_

_Rhyian looked at him in the eye, "If I did?"_

"_Why must you question me like this?" he narrowed his eyes, "I treat you with a great deal of reserve and tenderness, Rhyian. You know the reason for that." The boy bowed his head a little, "I do not extend the same courtesy to others. That spy went back home in __**pieces**__."_

_Rhyian winced, closing his eyes. "If anyone dares to lay a finger on you without my permission, I will raise hell on earth. You are mine. My child, my blood, my legacy. Do you understand how important you are, Rhyian?"_

"_What does that have to do with anything?"_

_Voldemort pursed his lips before jerking his wand, bringing his son towards him. Rhyian yelped when Voldemort lifted him off the floor and placed him on his lap as though he was a ten-year-old child instead of a fifteen-year-old teenager. "You will listen to me very carefully, Rhyian." He whispered in his child's ear in Parseltongue, "What happened after you were kidnapped by Regulus is a mystery to us. We do not know the authenticity of the prophecy and if there is a Harry Potter out there, waiting to defeat me. It is a very delicate situation and I would rather not have you involved in it. However, Dumbledore will exploit all my weaknesses." He looked at his son in the eye, "You, Rhyian, are my greatest weakness. He will know that and will try to use you against me…"_

"_I will not be manipulated by him again, father." Rhyian stated softly, "Don't send me away." He pleaded, "I don't want to go."_

"_It is just for a year, Rhyian. I will visit as often as I can. I am certain that Lucius, Narcissa and Severus will too." The Dark Lord assured, frowning down at the bandages on his son's chest as the boy leaned back against him. He brushed his thumb across Rhyian's smooth forehead, "I am not giving a choice."_

"_I noticed." Rhyian commented dryly, closing his eyes. _

"_You are still upset."_

"_How can I not be?" Rhyian asked softly, "This is my home. I love every bit of it. You are my father… and I have had you only for a year… I have to give all this up again." He shook his head, his lips twisting in a sneer, "For my own safety, of course."_

_He felt his father press his nose against his hair, "That fact that this is your home and I am your father is never going to change, Rhyian." He whispered, "Indulge me, my child."_

"_Once again, you make decisions for me. Are all parents like that?" Rhyian asked, tilting his head back and looking at his father's mildly amused eyes. _

"_I do not know but unfortunately for you, I am like that." Voldemort answered before depositing Rhyian on his feet. He waved his hand in dismissal, "It is late. Off to bed with you."_

_Rhyian looked at him with a slightly pained expression before spinning on his heel and running out of the room. _

_The Dark Lord sighed._

**

* * *

  
**

The sound of a car entering the driveway brought Voldemort out of his thoughts. He looked at Lucius in question before turning to look at the car.

Narcissa stepped out before Rhyian hesitantly followed.

The Dark Lord frowned when he noticed his son's impassive face and darkened eyes. It was obvious that Rhyian was still upset. The child was looking at the house with a slight scowl on his lips, taking in the wards with obvious distaste. It was only when those pale eyes landed on the car did his expression change.

Voldemort smirked. Boys will be boys.

He knew that his son had a weakness for speed. Fast brooms, fast cars, fast stallions made his blood race and brought a smile to his lips. Voldemort had always indulged his son and he was not about to start being cautious about his expenses now. If Rhyian needed to live as a muggle for a short period, the Dark Lord was ready to bestow a fast and fancy car upon his sulking son.

A small consolation but at least Rhyian seemed a little more pleased.

He suppressed his smirk when Rhyian's eyes landed on him and the boy frowned again. Narcissa leaned down and kissed his son's forehead affectionately, seemingly reluctant to part with him. "You will be alright, sweetheart." She whispered softly, his fingers combing through his adorable curls. "I know you are upset. Draco is upset as well. He doesn't like being separated from his favorite cousin." She smiled, "The Dark Lord is doing the right thing, love. You will realize that soon."

Rhyian looked at her for a long moment before nodding.

She smiled again, "Good. Now take good care of yourself. No skipping meals. No sleeping too late. Your curfew still applies. You must be home before nine. Henry will make certain to inform me if you stay out too late." She glanced at a stiff looking butler that stood by the car.

"Most certainly, madam." The man nodded.

Rhyian grimaced and looked at his father who was smirking in amusement. "Be careful with that muggle death-trap." She gestured distastefully at his beautiful new car.

"Hey!" Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "That's a Dodge Viper STR-10! It is not a muggle death trap! It is a beauty! This itsy-bitsy town has only seen such cars in magazines." He looked at his father and frowned, "I thought that the intention was to hide. I would definitely attract some attention with that." He gestured towards the car.

Voldemort looked at him in clear amusement. "You cannot use your Firebolt XS nor can you take Raiden for a ride amongst these dense woods." He arched a brow, "How else am I going to cater to your need for speed?"

Rhyian's face soured, "You better take good care of my Raiden."

The Dark Lord nodded, ignoring his son's insolent tone for once. He gestured imperiously and Antonin, Lucius and Narcissa climbed into the car and left after saying their goodbyes to Rhyian. They had a flight to catch but Voldemort planned to stay with his son for the night before apparating to England. He was powerful enough to perform an intercontinental apparation while most were not.

Rhyian sulked through dinner and Voldemort found his son's possessiveness rather amusing. "Alright." He said as they settled into a comfortable couch, "Do you remember everything that I have taught you?" Rhyian nodded, "Good. The training chamber that lies underneath the house is heavily warded. Not even a sliver of magic will escape those wards. I am allowing you to start practicing dark magic." Rhyian's eyes widened at that, "You can use the Unforgivables but only is dire circumstances." Voldemort narrowed his eyes, "I trust that you will observe caution. The corruption of the Unforgivables is next to none. On the night of the full moon, every month, I will come here and we will perform a ritual to cleanse you. This is necessary until you are seventeen." Rhyian nodded in understanding, "In the training chamber, I have set up a small library. You will start with the books on the lowest level. These books are small. Each one contains about hundred pages and each one of them contains information on only _one_ spell."

"Just one?" Rhyian asked in surprise.

Voldemort nodded. "Yes. One. You will be learning deadly Dark arts spells. I have selected every spell meticulously. They have the least corruptive influence but they are powerful. Most light magic practitioners refer to them as Grey spells." He looked at his son piercingly, "They are dark. I have told you that you are very sensitive to the nature of magic. You are what we often refer to as a Sorcerer. Someone who is able to handle advance spells of both Light and Dark Magic. When you are older, you will be most proficient is the Darkest of dark magic."

Rhyian's eyes widened, "The Black Arts." He breathed in a whisper.

The Dark Lord nodded solemnly, "We must thank _Rockwell_ for this information." Voldemort sneered, "He is a Scanner, someone who can gauge a wizard's skills and power with a simple touch."

"So that's what it was." Rhyian whispered thoughtfully, "I felt as though a ward was scanning me."

Voldemort smirked, "That in itself shows your sensitivity to magic. It is nearly impossible to sense a Scanner's touch. He _graciously_ informed us that your magic is different."

Rhyian frowned, "Different good or different bad?"

Voldemort's lips twitched at the question. "That depends on who you ask." The Dark Lord replied slyly, "From Dumbledore's point of view, it is definitely bad. From mine, it is an unexpected boon." He reached forward and grasped his son's chin, looking critically into those pale eyes. "Lamia are dark creatures, the darkest of all creatures. They are Vampires but superior to normal vampires. Has your uncle ever told you why that is?"

Rhyian shook his head and Voldemort leaned back. "Vampires are _undead_. They have died and have been reborn. They exist simply because magic keeps them alive. They are, in a sense, manifestations of magic that is ambient and yet without purpose. They are necessary to ensure that the ambient magic does not exceed its limits. To survive, they must keep a close connection with nature. They do that by consuming blood since blood is the most potent connection that exists. Werewolves are similar. Their powers originate from the moon. They exist to channel its alien, interfering influence. Both the species are necessary to maintain a certain balance that exists outside of Nature's control. That is why they are so _different_ from us all other creatures. They are _made_ while others are _born_."

Voldemort looked thoughtful, "A certain level of both Vampire and Werewolf population must be maintained. When their numbers drop, they suddenly seem to get an urge to create more of their kind."

The teenager's eyes widened and Voldemort continued. "Lamia, also known as the True Vampires, on the other hand, are creatures that are _nature's_ manifestations. The opposite of High Elves, who represent the lighter side of Nature, the Lamia represent the darker side. The Lamia and the Elves are the highest form of perfection that the union of Nature and Magic can achieve."

Rhyian nodded, already aware of the fact. "Now, you must be aware that there are two forms of made vampires. Muggles and Wizards can be turned and there aren't many differences between them. Wizards do retain their magic in small amounts and muggles receive certain gifts. To you, both of them are harmless. They cannot touch you. Their instincts will not allow them to."

He smirked proudly at Rhyian, "Your mother was a Lamia of noble blood and I am the Dark Lord, a Sorcerer of Dark Magic chosen at birth. Your magic is unlike a normal wizard's or a normal Lamia's magic. Your magic is a thick river of energy that flows throughout your body. Wizards possess a core and a wand helps them pull magic from it. If a wizard is accomplished enough, he can pull magic from his core without a wand but it is a difficult task. Lamia's magic resides in their blood. They need to consume more blood if they use more magic. You, on the other hand, may need to consume some amount of blood but only to sate your hunger. Your magic is independent and free flowing. You may not require a wand too much but I advice you to use it."

Rhyian frowned, "And because my magic flows throughout my body, it is not as protected as a core is and not as illusive as magic hidden in blood." The boy's eyes widened, "That would explain my sensitivity, my lack of control and the sheer strength of my accidental magic."

Voldemort nodded. "Now, as I said, each one of the books in that library contains a single spell. All spells are explained in detail." He narrowed his eyes warningly, "You will not take any _shortcuts_. Master every spell thoroughly before moving on. Those books describe everything in great detail. The trick to use magic effectively is to know it well. _Know_ each spell. A simple swish and flick and a few murmured words will give an ordinary response but truly understanding the mechanics behind each spell you learn will make you an expert."

Rhyian frowned but nodded in understanding. He did not doubt his father when it came to magic. There were very few who could compete with him when it came to knowledge about magic. Even Hermione couldn't claim to be as obsessive over gaining knowledge as his father was.

"I will be testing you regularly. Do not slack off." Voldemort looked into his son's eyes, "Just because you are now away from my guidance doesn't mean you have the liberty to disregard your studies. I expect you to be just as diligent as you have been throughout the past year. I have been very pleased with your progress so do not disappoint me, Rhyian."

The teenager shook his head, "You know better than that." He whispered, "Anyways, if I learn soon, I will be able to return sooner, right?" he looked at Voldemort with narrowed eyes, "If I don't, you will find an excuse to keep me here for another year."

Voldemort smirked and let him believe that. He was not going to allow his son be away from him for more than the required time. The moment he was seventeen, Rhyian would find himself back at the manor.

Forcing his son to go to sleep when night arrived turned out to be a mammoth task. Rhyian was restless, already seeming a little home sick. Voldemort sat by his son's bed, watching those sleeping features with a slight frown.

His child had come very close to being back in Dumbledore's grasp and that alarmed him more than he would like to admit. It seemed as though Severus was losing Dumbledore's trust. Moreover, the old man had been able to slip a spy into his ranks without him noticing it.

The information was troubling.

He stood and looked down at Rhyian and nodded to himself. For now, this was the best course of action.

_For now_.

* * *

Mundane…

That was the only word that came to his mind when he described Forks. Everything about the little town was boring and cliché. Moreover, it reminded him somewhat of Privet Drive. From the gossiping, shallow people to the false flattery, everything was similar to his childhood prison.

The more time he spent here, the more he felt as though his father was punishing him for something. It was difficult to ignore the homesickness he felt. Forks did not hold a candle to the beauty of the Baneraven estates. His large, ornate home was probably ten times older than the silly little town. The sweeping landscape and the majestic fountains gave his home the kind of beauty that very few could afford. The luxury of flying over the estate was something he was already missing terribly. The comfort of his own bed, the silence of the library, the cozy warmth of his father's study and centuries worth of history and tradition that radiated from it's very soil…

Rhyian had not realized just how important his home was to him until he was forced to move away.

His estate was not the only thing that he missed. He missed the house-elves that worked to keep it in pristine condition, unable to laugh at their antics. He missed Raiden and the feeling of running his fingers through his inky black mane. He missed the numerous snakes that littered the premises, including Nagini. He missed his uncle's dry voice, sarcasm, and Draco's stupidity. He missed aunt Narcissa's prodigious skill with the piano as she patiently catered to him by letting him practice his clumsy violin playing with her. Hell, he even missed his godfather and his biting comments and carefully hidden protectiveness.

Most of all, he missed his father.

Rhyian groaned and placed his forehead on the steering wheel. That was his biggest contention. He wanted to be angry with his father. He wanted to give him a cold shoulder whenever his father called to check up on him. He wanted to be rude and dismissive to teach the man a lesson but he couldn't.

With a sigh, he leaned back and fetched his bag before sliding out of his car gracefully. Another day of school awaited him and he was _not_ looking forward to it. It had been little over a week and everyone had already formed his or her own opinions about him. Girls spent most of their time sighing after him. He was supposedly the greatest catch next to Edward Cullen.

He did not know or care about Edward Cullen. As far as he knew, the person was a Junior, a year above him and his entire family seemed to be a target of either admiration or disgust in the small town.

The boys were either drooling over his car or sneering at him. To Rhyian, they seemed incredibly juvenile. He had managed to gain a few acquaintances but that was it. He was not looking to make friends and he definitely did not want to forge any bonds.

Casually, he glanced around before heading for his class.

"Hey! Wait up!" Rhyian froze in mid-step and glanced over his shoulder to see who was being addressed.

A dry look settled upon his regal features when he saw a hulking figure heading towards him with something in his hand. "You dropped this, little guy."

"I never thought I would encounter a half-breed here." He murmured under his breath with sarcasm as he took his wallet. "Thank you."

"Half-breed?" the boy asked, his lips twitching.

Rhyian arched a brow before slowly letting his eyes roam over the large, tall body, "A cross-breed of a giant and a human." He looked up at the boy, "From up there, us normal beings must look like ants to you."

The boy looked confused for a moment before his words sunk in. A loud, booming laugh erupted from him causing the students surrounding them to yelp in fright. Rhyian tilted his head to the side when he spotted a rather beautiful girl watching them impassively. Her narrowed eyes were trained on the tall boy's back. "Someone seems to be waiting for you." He stated as he gestured towards the girl.

"Oh, that's my girl Rosalie Hale." The boy grinned at him, "And I am Emmett Cullen, nice to meet you!"

Perceptively, Rhyian noted that Emmett did not offer his hand for a shake as it was customary and nodded, "Pleasure." He drawled in his aristocratic tones. He turned his gaze toward the girl and nodded his head in greeting. Her eyes narrowed at him before she returned the gesture. "I suggest that you do not keep your lovely lady waiting." Rhyian stated.

Somehow, that comment seemed to land on the girl's ears because he could see the pleased curl of her lips. Her high-heels clicked one the concrete road as she walked towards them.

Rhyian took his time to observe the oddity before him. He was not a naïve, ignorant child. He was well aware that his father had not chosen Forks without a valid reason.

The reason was standing right in front of him.

He would be an absolute fool if he ignored the telltale signs. The two people in front of him were definitely vampires of some kind. The unnaturally pale, almost grayish skin was the first thing to give them away. The perfection of their features, the easy grace of their movements, the blood red lips…

He kept his expression innocently curious when tilted his head to the side, "Cullen huh?" he asked, "Related to Edward Cullen, per chance?"

Emmett smirked, "You have met our little brother then?"

Rhyian's mind raced. Golden eyes meant that these were not magical vampires. They tended to have pale blue eyes that turned acid green when they were hungry. They were definitely not Lamia. Their skin was unnaturally pale while Lamia's skin glowed with a healthy, unearthly radiance. The dark shadows underneath their eyes were also all too telling.

Muggle vampires then…

"No." he answered without betraying his thoughts, "I have heard his name a couple of times." He shrugged, "I have never met him in person."

Muggle vampires that were strong willed enough to ignore the temptation of human blood.

Impressive.

He glanced at his watch, "I will be late for class." He nodded towards them, "A pleasure."

Rosalie tilted her head elegantly while Emmett grinned, "Likewise."

As he walked away from the vampires, he sent a silent salute to his father. The man's brilliance was almost incomprehensible. To place him amongst muggle vampires, who had no means of knowing what he was or understanding it, was a stroke of pure genius. The poor creatures will probably follow their instincts that made them differ to the Lamia as their superiors. Their very first instinct when they encountered his scent would be to guard and protect him.

His lips curled into a sly smirk. With the very notable presence of muggle vampires, who would look at an ordinary boy like Rhyian?

He hummed softly in amusement. He was revising his former opinion.

Forks wasn't such a mundane little town after all.

That fact only served to uplift his mood for a small while. As the day progressed, the charm of having vampires in town began to fade. Rhyian knew better than to seek them out.

There was nothing to do. Training in the basement was the only thing he looked forward to. Because of keeping his distance from everybody, he had no one to keep him company.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, ignoring the teacher. It was getting lonely. He couldn't imagine staying here for a another week much less a year. There was nothing for him to do but study and train. The school was boring. He couldn't travel out of town to explore a bit of America on his own. If he asked his father, he knew that he would be denied.

He swallowed and allowed his head to fall back on the desk.

He was feeling miserable.

"Riddle!"

"Yes." He drawled softly, opening his eyes and leaning back casually, his narrowed gaze falling on the glaring teacher. He arched a brow, ignoring the stolen glances from the female population.

"Answer this question." He gestured towards the board.

Rhyian frowned at the question, "An equation to find the fundamental frequency of a sound wave in a tube with a single closed end?" he tilted his head to the side, "_f = v/4L_."

The teacher nodded in approval, his eyes narrowed in silent warning and Rhyian's lips curled into a smirk as if to ask, '_What are you going to do about it?_'

The man scoffed and turned his attention back to teaching.

Rhyian scowled as he silently drummed his fingers against the desk, his leg twitching. He felt so restless and ill at ease here. More than a week had passed and he still couldn't bring himself to adjust. "_Damn it all…_" he cursed himself, "_Have I become so pathetic? A year ago, this was the type of life that I wanted, anonymity in the muggle world._"

He shook his head, gazing at the board even though his thoughts were far away. "_I am being ridiculous and childish._"

By the time the day was over, he had convinced himself that he was overreacting. He walked swiftly out of the building, patiently and politely brushing off everyone who called for his attention.

Forks was alright, he realized. He would rather live peacefully in Forks than risk being captured by Dumbledore and his lackeys.

He needed to get serious. This was is opportunity to become strong without distractions. He would prove to his father that he was capable enough to stand by his side. A year's worth of isolated training would do him good and when he returned to England, he would be powerful enough to protect himself from his father's enemies.

He glanced at his watch and hastened his pace. He was looking forward to training and venting his frustrations on training dummies.

He was just about to open the door of his car when he heard it.

A loud screech of an out-of-control vehicle.

Rhyian reacted instinctively when he saw where the car was heading. Instantly, his hand shot out towards the frozen and frightened girl, pulling her body roughly towards him, falling to the ground in the process. He hissed through clenched teeth as a sharp pain assaulted him, however, he was reminded of the girl's presence when she whimpered.

His eyes quickly scanned the situation. He ignored the loud noise of the car colliding with the girl's truck as he tucked the girl protectively in his embrace. The car was going to hit them again. Gritting his teeth and ignoring the nearly mind-numbing pain that shot up his arm, he waved his hand frantically, creating an invisible shield between them and the speeding car. His keen eyes quickly scanned for an escape route.

Rhyian hissed when the stupid girl moved in his arms, adding to his pain. Shaking his head, he tried to see through his blurred vision and spotted another parked car. In a stroke of brilliance, he rolled over, sliding underneath the car and coming out on the other side, safely out of the path of the collision.

There was a moment of stunned silence before a pandemonium exploded around them. Rhyian groaned and closed his eyes, letting go of the death-grip he had on the girl. "You stupid chit," he murmured to her, "When a car is speeding towards you, the wise thing to do is to _move out of its way!_"

He winced and tried to sit up with little success, looking down at his body and cursed under his breath. His clothes were torn in a few placed, his knees skinned, his left arm twisted in an odd-looking angle, his palms bruised and his temple throbbing in time with his heart-beat.

"_Oh my god!" _A distant voice shouted, _"Someone get Tyler out of the van!"_

"Are you alright?" A smooth voice asked and Rhyian opened his eyes to look at the people that now surrounded him. The girl he had rescued tried to sit up but a tall boy, supposedly her boyfriend, was kneeling in front of her, pushing her down. She most likely had a concussion.

He looked up at the towering boy in front of him and nodded. The boy crouched down in front of him, frowning as he assisted Rhyian into a sitting position. "You look pretty banged up, little prince." The older boy grinned at him.

Rhyian scowled, "Yes, I can see that." He stated, he turned towards the girl and her boyfriend, "Oi, Mr. Boyfriend, make sure that she doesn't stand."

The other boy nodded.

"We need to take you to the hospital." Another smooth voice called for his attention. He turned to look at the beautiful blonde who he had met about a week prior. "Our father is a doctor. He will take care of you."

Rhyian nodded, "Thanks, Rosalie." He whispered, wincing when her long, slender fingers combed through his hair, trying to find if he suffered from a bump or not.

He hissed softly when her cold fingers encountered a bleeding cut and scowled. "I am dead."

Emmett scoffed, "Hardly!"

Rhyian shook his head, "You don't understand, Cullen. When my father finds out about this, he will kill me first and then ask questions to my ghost later!"

"Who are you?" The boyfriend asked, looking the three of them with a faint frown as they waited for help to arrive.

Emmett grinned, "This little prince here is Rhyian Riddle!" he announced loudly, "Rosalie's new pet!"

Rhyian closed his eyes and leaned back against the said woman as she slapped her lover. "Little prince, this is Edward Cullen, our little brother. Alice and Jasper are standing over there, you can meet them later." The large boy said, "Jasper is not feeling well."

"Thank you." A meek voice interrupted their conversation. Rhyian opened his eyes to look piercingly at the girl curled in Edward's embrace. "I just-" she frowned, "I just froze. I couldn't react at all. Just… thank you Ryan…"

He scowled, "Have the courtesy of not butchering my name, will you? It is Rhy-eean. If you find it too difficult to pronounce, use Riddle."

She winced while Edward glared at him with dark gold eyes. "I just saved her life, stop glaring at me because I expect some intelligence from a seventeen year old girl." Rhyian snapped, glaring back at the older boy, "Dear Lord, what were you _thinking_? Standing there and gaping at the bloody thing instead of diving out of the way? Did you _want_ to be crushed?" He addressed her and the boyfriend growled at him. However, as soon as he hissed in pain, the glare softened.

Rhyian groaned and closed his eyes, the pain of a broken arm, a bump to the head and various other cuts and bruises assaulting him at once.

The three extraordinarily attractive people immediately focused their attention on him. The EMTs and two teachers whose names Rhyian didn't even bother recalling. They brought forth two stretchers, one for the relatively uninjured Bella Swan and another for him.

Rhyian was none-too-pleased with the results of his one instinctive act. Barely a week had passed since his father had sent him to Forks and he was already injured. He could just imagine what the Dark Lord's reaction would be. He wouldn't be surprised if Voldemort killed Bella after he was through with him.

"Rosalie." He whispered as they loaded him onto the ambulance, looking at the girl with slightly pleading eyes, "Don't let them inform my father."

She nodded, "I will try."

As he closed his eyes, he felt a slight touch against his uninjured arm but he ignored it, finally submitting himself to the pain and the tiredness.

Had his eyes been open, he would have seen Edward stiffen and look down at him with wide, unnatural black eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: Fate's hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Warnings and pairings: Refer to the previous chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

**AN: Sorry it took so long. I have gotten a new job so everything has been a little hectic. This chapter is not proof-read but I assure you that I will replace this version with the edited version as soon as I get the chapter back from my beta-reader. I just thought I should post this since it has been a long time since an update.**

**There are a few things that I would like to clarify. You may have realized that almost everyone is at least a little out of character. I will continue in the same direction. Also, as much as I like the concept of Twilight, I am not a big fan of the actual book. Don't be surprised if you find that the Cullen family are more than just a bunch of vamps for Bella to play with. Please don't expect M-Preg. I have nothing against it but can't write it. Don't expect Bella to be a bitch. I will only portray her as I see her. An immature little girl.**

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"How's Rhyian?"

Carlisle paused, looking at his beautiful daughter in surprise, not having expected the forceful question from her. He glanced at his other children, astonished to note that Alice and Emmett had similar expressions on concern on their faces while Edward seemed torn and Jasper, baffled.

A slight frown marred his smooth features as he took in this new development. He could easily sense that Rosalie, Alice and Emmett were actually concerned about the boy rather than the girl who had tested Edward's control to such an extent.

He looked at Rosalie piercingly for a moment before answering, "There're certain complications…" he stated softly, "Most of his injuries not worrisome but unfortunately, he has a preexisting wound on his chest that has reopened. In addition to that, it has worsened due to the accident. He's lost copious amount of blood through that particular wound when he was on the way to the hospital."

Edward's gaze snapped towards his and Carlisle was alarmed to see his son's eyes were jet black.

"Edward?" he questioned carefully, making his way towards him. He knelt before the younger vampire, cautiously examining his expression. "Bella was bleeding slightly when you brought her in but you fed last night… what happened?"

"Rhyian Riddle affects him." It wasn't Edward who answered but Jasper, "The boy affects us all." Carlisle glanced at all his children, noting that they seemed to agree with Jasper.

He narrowed his eyes. He'd noticed something when he treated the child but he was distracted by various other factors. Out of the three victims of the accident, Rhyian was by far, the most affected. "In what way?"

Alice closed her eyes, obviously trying to find out more about he mysterious boy in order to ascertain that he was not a threat to them. Jasper answered him once again, his powers of empathy coming to his use. "In case of Rosalie… it was almost a maternal concern and protectiveness. She was drawn to him instantly. She suffered from a brief moment of panic along-side Edward when Riddle chose to rescue Swan. Emmett responded to his mate's instincts but Rhyian affects him too…"

Emmett nodded when Carlisle turned to him. "I don't know how to explain it… he almost feels as though he's a _child_ of our coven…" Carlisle noted the choice of words and narrowed his eyes. He was quite certain that Rhyian was a human. "I don't know, Carlisle… I reacted almost instantly when the boy decided to rescue Bella. I almost leapt forward to protect him…" the largest vampire stated in confusion, combing his fingers through his hair in a gesture that betrayed his uncertainty.

Jasper looked at Edward, his eyes narrowed. "Edward's reaction was most intense… for a while he was shrouded in Bella's scent and her allure that he didn't notice anything about Rhyian… but then…"

"I touched him." Edward stated hoarsely, "And for an instant nothing else existed but him. I felt responsible for him, father. I felt as though I should have protected him, that it was my _duty _to protect him. When I was touching Bella, I was enveloped in her scent. It was so strong and it dominated my senses but when they loaded her onto the ambulance I had a brief contact with Rhyian." He looked at Carlisle, "She simply vanished from my senses… all humans vanished. He was bleeding so severely but the sight of his blood did nothing to me… hell it didn't affect any of us." He gestured towards Rosalie's hands that still hand some traces of Rhyian's blood on them, "She was holding him, breathing his scent and it didn't affect her at all."

"That's true." Alice stated, her voice holding a touch of excitement, "His scent doesn't entice bloodlust; it suppresses it. You put us in a room full of bleeding humans and it wouldn't affect us as long as he's present in the same room. Our first instinct seems to be the need to protect and guard him."

Carlisle sat back, looking baffled. "This isn't something I've ever encountered before." He looked at Edward, "You didn't feel any craving for his blood? Why are your eyes-?"

"Rage." Jasper stated plainly, "He's angry… with himself, with Bella, with Tyler… the fact that Rhyian got hurt under our watch is almost intolerable…" he looked at Carlisle, his voice and expression serious, "As I said before, all of us feel the same but Edward's reaction is simply more potent than ours…"

"And there's a reason for that." Alice said seriously, "Bella's scent brings all of Edward's instincts to surface. He has precarious control over himself when he's in her company. That's the reason why he was more affected by Rhyian than we were."

"Dad." Emmett drew his attention, his face serious, "Even if Rhyian proves to be a threat… there's no way we can overcome our instincts to kill him…"

Both Rosalie and Edward snarled at the statement, prompting Jasper to dash forward grab hold Edward down while Alice wrapped her arms around Rosalie.

Emmett's smirk was almost cheeky, "See what I mean?" he asked before raising his hands in surrender, "Ease up, you two. I was merely making a point. I've no intention of hurting the little prince."

Carlisle stood, his eyes pensive as he analyzed the situation.

However, before they could continue the conversation, someone's cell phone rang.

All six vampires turned towards a bag that sat by Alice's side. Alice and Jasper had taken up the responsibility of taking care of Rhyian's belongings. They didn't want to take the risk of leaving the expensive car in the student parking lot.

Warily, the pixy-like vampire picked it up and fetched the ringing phone from within it.

She suddenly giggled when she saw the screen before handing the phone to Carlisle, recognizing that he was the best person to deal with the caller.

Carlisle chuckled when he read the word, _'Git_' that was used to refer to the caller. He pressed the receive button.

"_Finally! How long does it take to pick up the phone?_" A young, cultured voice demanded and Carlisle paused, unable to speak as the caller went on, "_I can't believe that you didn't call mother and father to wish them on their anniversary! They were expecting to hear from you. Your father was there with us. Uncle Severus decided to make an appearance as well… Mother m-_"

"Excuse me." Carlisle interrupted the youth, his lips quirking in amusement. "May I k-"

"_Who are you?_" The youthful, enthusiastic voice had changed. The caller's words carried a distinct hint of icy suspicion.

Carlisle understood and responded graciously, keeping his voice gentle and soothing. "Pardon me. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I work at the Forks General Hospital." He introduced himself, knowing that it was best to be straightforward. "I'm currently the doctor responsible for the care of one Mr. Rhyian Riddle, are you related to him?"

There was a tense pause and Carlisle's keen hearing picked up a brief rustle of clothes and rapid footsteps. He assumed that the caller was running in some direction. "_Yes._" The person answered, his voice softer now but holding a sense of dread. "_I am his cousin, Draco Malfoy. What has happened?_" he asked urgently.

Carlisle frowned, "I'd be more comfortable speaking to Rhyian's guardians, Mr. Malfoy. Can you, perhaps help me contact Mr. Riddle's parents? For some reason, I was unable to obtain his personal details from the Forks High School's database and I was unable to contact his current guardian."

There was a muffled curse. "_Contacting Rhyian's father-_" Malfoy paused, "_Give me a moment._" He murmured urgently and Carlisle nodded absently to himself.

"Of course."

The eldest vampire frowned softly when he heard the banging of doors and the young man's urgent voice calling out to someone.

"_Draco! What's this racket?_" A stern sounding voice greeted Carlisle's ear, "_You aren't a ch-_"

"_Father, it's urgent. It seems that Rhyian is in trouble. Here, talk to the doctor…_"

"_Doctor?_" A female voice stated, sounding worried and Carlisle sighed. Dealing with the family of the patient was possibly the worst aspect of his job.

"_Doctor?_"

Carlisle straightened when the smooth voice questioned him. "Yes, I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen working in Forks General Hospital. May I know who is speaking?"

"_Lucius Malfoy. I'm Rhyian's uncle._"

"Mr. Malfoy, I need to contact Mr. Riddle's parents. If you-"

"_Dr. Cullen, I've no patience for your protocol._" The man stated icily, "_What's wrong with my nephew?_"

Carlisle paused before continuing softly, "Mr. Malfoy, your nephew was involved in an accident and is injured. His injuries from the accident itself aren't serious but he has a preexisting injury that has been aggravated. Currently, he's in surgery with our best orthopedic surgeon who's addressing a fracture in his right leg and in his left arm. Earlier this afternoon, I worked on the wound on his chest that required well over a dozen stitches. Unfortunately, it would seem that the reopened wound would slow down his recovery. Fortunately, he suffered from no concussions and has a few cuts and bruises that aren't a cause for concern."

There was a moment of tense silence over the line before the other man finally answered him. "_Rhyian's father is currently in America. I'll contact him. I believe it would take him no more than a few of hours to reach Forks. I'll arrive within a couple of days._" The man informed Carlisle with impressive calmness. The vampire knew that Rhyian's uncle was not as composed as he seemed. He obviously was a man of great poise and control.

"I'm relieved to hear that." Carlisle stated, "I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, that Mr. Riddle will be offered the best of care. I'll personally see to it. Please be at ease. I've every reason to believe that he'll make a full recovery."

"_Very well._" Malfoy answered stiffly, "_Excuse me. I must make a few calls._" He stated and ended the conversation unceremoniously.

Carlisle handed the phone back to Alice and raised a brow at Rosalie's displeased look. "Rhyian didn't want his father to know about the accident."

The eldest vampire shook his head. "I am afraid that I can't allow that, Rosalie. The parents must be informed."

He glanced at his watch, "Rhyian will be out of surgery soon but I don't expect him to regain consciousness anytime tonight. You guys should head home, Esme would be worried. You can check on Rhyian tomorrow."

His children looked uncertain and Carlisle frowned. He needed to examine Rhyian closely to understand why he was affecting his coven. "Go on." He encouraged, looking at Edward and then at Rosalie, "He'll be fine. Trust me."

The younger vampires nodded before leaving.

The night proved to be a tense one for the Cullens. After Rhyian was out of surgery, Carlisle decided to observe the child had baffled his family to such an extent.

As soon as the entered the room that was assigned to Rhyian he realized why his children had reacted so strongly. He was naturally gravitated towards the child. Carlisle narrowed his eyes and surveyed the boy, his keen gaze analyzing all his injuries and his advanced senses taking a note of his vitals.

With a frown, Carlisle settled into a chair by Rhyian's bedside and observed the child's pale, striking features. While he was certain that the boy was a human, there were few clues that indicated that there was something different about him.

His skin was flawless, especially for a teenage boy. The symmetry of his features was stunning, almost perfect. He was well aware that such human beings were rarely gifted with such perfection.

Moreover, while Carlisle would ignore the allure of human blood, it still existed. With Rhyian, there was no attraction present. His blood didn't attract them at all.

He reached forward, his golden eyes narrowed as he carefully placed an arm on the child's forehead. Edward had stated that Rhyian's touch had affected him. He wanted to test and see if it affected him as well.

It did.

A gentle wave of soothing warmth traveled up his arm and his lips curled at the edge to form a soft smile.

It was, perhaps, the first time he felt the fascination that all new fathers felt when they touched their child. "_So, this is what affected Edward?_" he asked himself.

He allowed himself the small liberty of trailing his finger down the child's cheek before he got command of himself and pulled away the boy.

He tried to think rationally about the threat such a boy would pose to their family but every instinct in him rebelled against the very idea of harming Rhyian. The thought was almost as intolerable to him as raising a hand against his own children.

Carlisle frowned, closing his eyes in silent meditation. He had never encountered such a phenomenon before. He would've understood if Rhyian affected only one person but to affect his entire family so keenly was, as far as he knew, impossible.

Carlisle never claimed to be all knowing. He was well aware that there were things that he didn't know about the world. He was also aware that creatures other than vampires and werewolves did exist. He had never encountered them nor did he find any documented evidence to support his assumption. However, he was quite certain that it was very likely that they existed and were adept at hiding themselves.

Aro had certainly implied that many times in their conversations. While Carlisle didn't particularly like that vampire, he knew that Aro had seen things that Carlisle never had.

He opened his eyes and observed Rhyian keenly, once again. Against his better judgment, he leaned forward, studying the boy.

He noticed some things that he had missed in his first inspection. His ears were a bit unusual. He narrowed his eyes.

There was a slightly pointed edge to the ear lobe, almost elf-like. It was not too noticeable but to Carlisle's keen eyesight, it was obvious that it developing to gain a rather peculiar shape. His gaze traveled over the boy's face only to pause at Rhyian's closed eyes.

He frowned and leaned forward. It was almost indiscernible, even to his keen senses. He narrowed his eyes and noticed that there was a thin stripe of pure silver color on the child's eyelids. It was almost invisible on the pale skin but…

His gaze quickly darted over every bit of exposed skin on Rhyian's body and he noticed that on his wrists, band of elegant looking pale silver lines exited, barely visible.

Was he imagining this? Purposefully finding oddities in Rhyian's features to explain their unusual reaction? Was it really inconceivable that there were humans who, as an antithesis to Singers, suppressed their bloodlust instead of awakening it?

He lifted Rhyian's hand and observed them keenly. '_It could very well be a tattoo._' He thought to himself before he noticed something else.

His nails.

He frowned when he remembered that Bella's upper arms had some odd, claw-like marks. They were bleeding faintly and didn't look too deep so Carlisle had passed it off as inconsequential after he had disinfected them.

The lingering blood on Rhyian's nails told him other wise.

Frowning slightly, he fetched a piece of wet cotton and proceeded to wipe the blood off Rhyian's fingertips.

A sharp, stinging sensation made him pause.

Carlisle's eyes widened.

He drew away his hands from the blunt looking nails, looking at his own bleeding thumb incredulously.

Rhyian's nail had cut through the wet cotton pad and managed to penetrate a vampire's indestructible skin.

"Impossible." He whispered, watching as a thick, viscous fluid emerged from the wound, it was deep red in color, almost black but it's texture and scent was nothing like that of human beings. It was almost pungent and unappetizing.

Carlisle stood abruptly, swiftly going towards the bathroom and washing his hand. He watched as the wound healed slowly, leaving behind a very thin pink scar.

The vampire looked at himself in the mirror, frowning.

Was that an accident? A fluke?

Pausing briefly, he returned to Rhyian's room, watching the unconscious boy in fascination as well as trepidation. He didn't know how to react to this unknown. Should he confront the boy? Confront his father when he arrives?

Would they be willing to share secrets with people they hardly knew?

Edward and Rosalie were his two most cautious children and for them to be so affected by Rhyian was an alarming sign. However, he was also aware that the child hadn't willingly sought them out. The only thing Carlisle had heard about the boy was about his fancy car that his children noticed immediately.

Moreover, the fact that he had rescued Ms. Swan, risking his own well-being, proved that the child was obviously brave and kind.

He continued observing Rhyian but realized that his endeavors were fruitless and to discern anything about the child while he was unconscious was an impossible task.

He glanced down at his wristwatch and sighed. He had the entire night to contemplate his future actions.

With one last, baffled glance at Rhyian, the vampire left the room.

* * *

Rhyian was no stranger to waking up with pain playing havoc on his nerves and his head heavy under the influence of analgesics. He shifted slightly in discomfort only to gasp as sharp pangs of pain assaulted him.

His eyes snapped open and he glanced down at himself in a daze. "Ugh, what?" he questioned groggily.

Something cold touched his forehead, "Mr. Riddle?"

Pale green eyes flickered towards the man leaning towards him. "Mr. Riddle, I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen, may I ask how you are feeling?"

Rhyian coughed harshly and shook his head, "My glasses please?" he whispered, uneasy being so vulnerable.

"Unfortunately, they did not survive the accident. I'm certain that we can find another pair for you soon." The doctor checked his pulse, "How do you feel?" he asked again.

Rhyian delicately placed a hand on his chest, unable to move his other arm and grimaced. "As well as one can expect, under the circumstances. Was my chest injury aggravated?"

"Yes." Carlisle said with a patient smile. "That wound was particularly deep and I'm certain that you were given instructions to be careful with it."

Rhyian sighed, "Yes." He allowed his head to sink into the pillow and looked up at the white ceiling with a distressed frown. "Whatever was I thinking?" he berated himself softly.

Carlisle smiled, "You acted out of concern and good will that is rarely found in people." He assured, "Quite a heroic deed." Instead of placating him, the statement caused Rhyian to wince and scowl fiercely.

He glared at the doctor with dangerous eyes that were just as subtly inhuman as the rest of him. "Your verdict doctor?"

"You'll have to stay for a while. I've informed your relatives and your father is due to arrive soon." He watched as Rhyian closed his eyes in dismay, "My daughter told me that you wished to keep this from your father but you must realize-"

"No." Rhyian shook his head, "I wasn't thinking. It's good that you informed him. I'd like him to be here." The younger boy sighed, "He would've been very displeased if I hid this from him." His eyes flickered towards a stiff looking man standing by the window. His stance was protective and his eyes never strayed from Carlisle.

Rhyian sighed. "Henry, forgive me. I realize that I've placed you in an unfortunate situation."

His butler's eyes turned towards him, "Think nothing of it, young master." Henry replied, his features composed, "I assure you, I will face no more than a scolding. I have spoken to Master; he is not displeased with me. Although, I must admit that Lady Malfoy was very formidable in her anger and fear."

Rhyian chuckled, "That's Aunt Narcissa's nature, I'm afraid. Will Uncle Severus be arriving as well?"

Henry chuckled, "He most certainly will, young sir. I believe he takes his duty as a godfather very seriously." He stepped forward and offered Rhyian a pair of glasses, "These were the only spare ones that I could find and they are your old pair. I have already ordered a new pair and you should have it within a couple of days, sir." Rhyian nodded and placed the simple silver framed spectacles on the bridge of his nose.

"Thank you Henry, you're as meticulous as always."

"Thank you sir." He glanced at the silent Carlisle, "I think the doctor has not finished speaking with you."

Rhyian turned his attention back to Carlisle, "I have interrupted you. Please continue."

Carlisle found the manner in which Rhyian spoke to be a little enchanting. He had a sort of old-world charm to him. His speech was formal and graceful, his gestures controlled and elegant.

It was quite obvious why Emmett called the child '_Little Prince._'

"I'm concerned about that wound on your chest, Mr. Riddle. Perhaps you can tell me how you acquired it? It seems like an old wound and yet hasn't healed as one would expect it to."

Henry stepped forward and intervened when Rhyian shot him a helpless look. "Doctor, I feel it'd be beneficial if you spoke to Master when he arrives." He looked at Rhyian who seemed relaxed once again, "Master Rhyian isn't at the liberty to say anything with regards to that wound."

Carlisle frowned but nodded gracefully in acceptance.

Suddenly, Carlisle turned towards the door, a wry smile curling at his lips, "My children want to see you. They want to be sure that you're alright."

Rhyian looked up at him in question, "Your children?" he paused, a baffled look gracing his features, "Carlisle Cullen… you mean Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen?"

"Yes, indeed." Carlisle said with a smile, "Edward, Alice and Jasper were worried too."

Rhyian stilled and looked at him with a raised brow, "Why? We've only just met." His eyes narrowed, "Was it because I saved…" he paused with a frown, "Edward, was it? Edward's girlfriend?"

Carlisle looked startled for a moment, "Edward's girlfriend? He isn't in any such relationship to the best of my knowledge. I suspect you are referring to Miss. Isabella Swan?"

Rhyian shrugged, "I must've misjudged then." He frowned, "So that silly little thing's name was Isabella Swan, was it?"

Henry coughed and looked at Rhyian, "I suggest, young master, that the identity of the girl remains hidden from your father."

The younger wizard nodded instantly, "Of course, it must be." He looked at Carlisle, "Dr. Cullen, my father isn't the most patient of men nor is he the most forgiving. When it comes to my well-being, he can be almost unreasonably protective. I suggest that you encourage Miss. Swan and the person responsible for the accident keep their distance."

Carlisle nodded but his mind was working fast. The more he observed, the more he realized that Rhyian was no ordinary child. "I'll speak with her." He assured before critically analyzing his patient, "Do you feel well enough to entertain visitors?"

Rhyian snorted, "The only people who're likely to visit me don't require my permission." He answered curtly.

"I believe, young master, Dr. Cullen is speaking about your new friends from school." Henry stated, well accustomed to Rhyian's sour moods when he was injured. "The Cullen siblings. They seemed most anxious and are waiting for your permission to assure themselves of your well-being."

Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "Henry, you are well aware that father is likely to arrive any moment now."

Henry nodded gracefully, "Indeed I am, sir. I assure you, it will be of no consequence."

Rhyian looked at him skeptically, "Really?" he asked, his lips curling in a mock sneer, "Am I wrong in supposing that father is in a rotten mood, itching to vent, resisting the urge to strangle me or to lock me up in a golden cage and throw away the key?"

Carlisle chuckled while Henry's eyes glittered in silent amusement. "You cannot begrudge him for that, young master." The butler stated, "After all the adventures you have gotten yourself into, _within the safety of your manor_ I might add, the master has every right to be protective."

Carlisle cleared his throat, smiling kindly when he noticed that Rhyian and Henry hardly behaved as though they were master and servant. "As amusing as this conversation is," he observed his patient critically once again, noting the paleness of his skin and the weakness in his voice that his sarcasm and playfulness couldn't hide. "Mr. Riddle, you must tell me if you're in pain immediately."

Rhyian waved his hand absently, "A little pain is not beyond my tolerance, doctor." He stated with perfect nonchalance. "It could've been worse so I shan't complain."

Carlisle smiled, "That's a rather wise way to look at the situation." There was a knock on the door and the doctor chuckled, "It seems that my children are getting impatient."

The young heir arched a brow, looking rather bemused as Carlisle opened the door and let a small group of beautiful people in. Rhyian glanced at Henry, who had receded into a shadowed corner, ever watchful. He was somewhat baffled by the doctor's unprofessional behavior.

Tilting his head to the side, he watched as Dr. Cullen walked out of the room to attend other patients and frowned.

Perhaps the doctor was being informal because he and his family were attracted to him in ways they could not understand?

"'lo, little prince! How're you feeling?" Emmett asked with a large grin though it was impossible to ignore the concern in his expression.

Rhyian looked at him and decided that if he was getting a nickname than his new acquaintances should get one too. "Hello Mr. Beast." His lips quirked in a smirk, "I am well."

Emmett looked puzzled, "Beast?"

Rhyian nodded solemnly, "Indeed. If I am to get a nickname, so must you."

Alice immediately warmed up to the prospect, "So what does that make me?"

The young heir turned his attention towards the short girl, observing her excited little features with a mock frown. "Hmm." He pondered, "Tommelise." He nodded in satisfaction.

Jasper suppressed a chuckle and glanced at the smirking Edward while Alice's eyes widened. "Tommelise! You are calling me _Thumbelina?!_"

Rhyian smirked without remorse. "That's a perfect name for you since everyone seems taller than you just as everyone was taller than Thumbelina."

Before Alice could pursue a debate, Jasper intervened, "And in your expert opinion, I would be?"

Rhyian paused to consider the new candidate, tilting his head from one side to the other. He could already sense, very faintly, that Alice and Jasper were established mates. A long, intimate and strong relationship exited between them. However to reveal would show too much perceptiveness. "I think," he stated, indulging the amused vampires, "That you should be Fitzwilliam Darcy. You certainly seem aloof and socially awkward. Though that Darcy pride is absent in you."

Edward snorted while Alice burst into giggles. Emmett wanted to laugh loudly but he knew that he would be glared at so he settled for chortling softly.

Jasper grimaced but accepted the new title with grace and good humor.

"What about me?" Rosalie asked, surprising her family.

Rhyian smirked, "Well, that is easy." He admitted, "You are the Beauty just as _he_ is the Beast." He gestured towards Emmett.

"And what about Edward?" Alice asked while Edward leaned against the wall, seemingly nonchalant.

Rhyian observed Edward from head to toe.

The vampire suddenly tensed, his eyes narrowing and Jasper looked at him with a frown. While Rhyian's perusal was entirely innocent, Edward's reaction of having those impossibly pale eyes surveying him was anything but.

In an instant, he felt a wave of searing heat rush through his body, the likes of which, he had never felt before. A shudder raced through him and his fine, marble-like skin, broke out into goose bumps. He almost took a step back at his own intense reaction, looking at the confused Rhyian with slightly wide, dark eyes.

"You alright, mate?" Rhyian asked, wondering why the vampire suddenly seemed as scared as a kitten.

Edward took a small, shallow, unneeded breath before nodding, "Nothing, just felt a moment of chill."

His siblings instantly looked at him with concerned frowns on their faces but Edward kept his gaze firmly on the boy on the hospital bed. "So, what should I be?"

Rhyian observed him keenly, those striking eyes holding untold number of secrets. Somehow, Edward wasn't too surprised to note that he couldn't read Rhyian's mind. He was convinced that Rhyian's presence in Forks was a counter to Bella's.

Bella was his ultimate temptation, a girl who brought out the true monster in him.

In contrast, Rhyian, with every passing second, seemed more and more like his salvation.

Rhyian made him feel _human._

"A brooding vampire with a soul." Rhyian answered.

'_The irony_' Edward mused as his lips curled into a helpless smirk. '_is that Rhyian speaks the truth._'

Before any of them could reply to Rhyian's words, the door opened with a bang.

The vampires almost reacted instinctively but Jasper's swift and cautious warning prevented them from committing any foolish mistakes.

Before any of them could understand the abrupt commotion, a tall, impressive looking man swept into the room and headed straight for Rhyian.

"You foolish, _foolish_ little child."

Rhyian cringed, a guilty blush coloring his pale skin. "Father." He whispered, a sheepish smile on his face, "I'm sorry."

Voldemort snarled silently, his fingers twitching. Fierce green eyes blazed in anger and he spun on his heel, looking at the vampires. "Get out." He hissed.

The Cullens frowned; Rosalie had pointed out that Rhyian was reluctant to inform his father about the accident. Seeing him so furious, they wondered if it was wise to leave him alone in the room with Rhyian.

"Didn't you hear me?" Voldemort asked, his eyes narrowed and his voice dangerous, "Get. Out."

Jasper nodded to his siblings and reluctantly, they left the room.

"Henry, that includes you."

The butler hastened to follow the order and left the room as well, closing the door soundly behind him.

Edward leaned against the wall outside Rhyian's room, his keen senses focused. He knew that he was eavesdropping but somehow, Rhyian's father seemed like a very dangerous person to him.

Voldemort shot forward the moment they were alone, his hand cupping Rhyian's face as his eyes scanned his child for injuries and pain.

"Just how many times do I have to tell you not to be _reckless!_" the Dark lord asked, his voice a low hiss as he took note of the number of injuries his child had suffered. He placed his palm on Rhyian's forehead, scowling when he felt that it was warmer than norm. "I take my eye off you for one moment…"

Rhyian flinched and looked down at his laced fingers, not even bothering to explain himself.

Voldemort scowled, "Look at me when I'm talking to you, heir!" he snapped and Rhyian quickly complied, paling a little when he saw the rage on his father's expression. "I sent you here to keep you safe. To ensure that my enemies don't hurt you and this happens. What do I have to do to keep you safe from not only my enemies but from _yourself?_ Of all the stupid, reckless, he-"

"_I am sorry!_" Rhyian cried out, swallowing when a pang of sharp pain assaulted him. "I wasn't thinking! I j-"

"Don't you dare raise your voice against me." Voldemort hissed dangerously, effectively rendering Rhyian silent. "From what I hear, you jumped in front of the car." Rhyian flinched. That sounded both absurd and suicidal.

He was neither.

"I just reacted before I could think." He confessed, "I wasn't thinking."

The Dark Lord came forward and sat down on his son's bed, reaching out of comb his fingers through his child's hair. "You worry me, my little one. How can I trust you to stay here alone if you don't seem to be capable of taking care of yourself?"

Rhyian closed his eyes, "I said I am sorry." He whispered hoarsely.

The Dark Lord stilled and narrowed his eyes, "You are in pain." He murmured before gently pushing Rhyian against the bed and surveying his injuries. "I spoke to Dr. Cullen." He informed as he unbuttoned Rhyian's shirt to look at the bandages wrapped around his son's chest. "I believe that the wound you got from Rockwell isn't healing as it should. I spoke to Severus; he tells me that your stunt has most likely delayed the healing process."

Rhyian nodded, "It was bothering me for a while even before the accident. I told Uncle Severus about it."

Voldemort nodded and pressed the tip of his wand gently against the bandages, casting a strong pain-relieving charm. It was certainly not as effective as a potion but it would provide Rhyian with temporary comfort.

Rhyian sighed in relief and relaxed against the sheet before opening his eyes. "I really, _really_ missed you."

Voldemort chuckled at the childishness of the statement, gently ruffling Rhyian's hair, "Now that's something I've never heard before."

Rhyian smirked, "That's because I'm the only one allowed to say it."

Voldemort arched a brow, "Oh?" he watched his son's eyes sparkle with pure Slytherin slyness, "Why is that?"

His son grinned at him, "Well, you're _my _father and no one else's. I have rights that no one else has."

The Dark Lord's lips twitched in amusement and he tapped his son's forehead, "Such conceit. I fear I have been spoiling you too much."

Rhyian snorted, "I deserve to be spoiled. There isn't a person like me in this entire world." He waved his hand elegantly, his expression being a perfect example of haughtiness.

"Indeed." Voldemort answered absently as he scanned his son's wounds. "A gem most precious." He whispered before cupping his child's cheek to make Rhyian look at him, "Would you like to return home?" he asked, "Keep in mind that it is very likely that another assassination attempt would be made on you. Despite my efforts, they now know that I have a son."

Rhyian's eyes widened in alarm, "How? That is impossible!"

Voldemort nodded, "I will the first to concede that I am surprised." He looked at his son sternly, "This was really a bad time for you to get involved in such a mess, Rhyian. The situation is too risky at home. I cannot guarantee anyone's safety."

Rhyian stilled, his fingers grasping onto Voldemort's coat, "What about your safety?"

Voldemort frowned, "Don't be ridiculous, Rhyian. I'm safe. I, unlike you, am an adult."

"Then why do you say such things!" Rhyian asked in anger, "What about Draco? Hermione, Ron and the twins? Neville? Luna? Are they safe? They're in regular contact with me, dad!"

Voldemort scowled at him, "You know very well that I don't tolerate insolence. Even from you."

Rhyian frowned at him but spoke in a softer, more respectful voice, "Should I stop contacting my friends?"

Voldemort bowed his head, "I believe that you can contact Draco anytime you wish. The rest…" he paused thoughtfully, "Observe caution." He advised, "You know better than I how well they will be watched."

Rhyian seemed devastated by the news. "I'm staying here in this wet little town and the only friend I can contact is that bloody git?" he leaned back and closed his eyes, "Now I'm convinced you are punishing me for something."

Voldemort looked at Rhyian, exasperated, "Must you be so immature about this?" he asked softly, "As for friends, I don't see you having any difficulties procuring new ones. I saw five people in this room whom I've never met before so I assume that they are your new friends."

Rhyian shot his father an incredulous look, "You are encouraging me to find friends from outside our society?" he narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

Voldemort shrugged, "A year can be a long time if you are not suitably entertained and I strongly discourage you from coming home prematurely."

Rhyian frowned, "There's a chance that I might get too attached."

Voldemort grimaced, "Certainly, there is. Despite my efforts, you still wear your heart on your sleeve, my dear child." The Dark Lord observed him in slight disapproval, "Just keep in mind that you're here only for a year."

His son nodded and closed his eyes, his exhaustion plain on his face. "You nee-"

There was a knock on the door and Voldemort scowled, "Enter."

Rhyian groaned when his half-lidded eyes took in the sight of a sneering Severus Snape in muggle clothes.

He was doomed.

"Ah, Severus. I see you managed to escape Dumbledore." Voldemort greeted and gestured to the only empty chair in the room.

Severus didn't say anything but he waved his wand in a complex series of slashes and twirls, muttering a spell softly under his breath.

Voldemort arched a brow at the familiar spell and narrowed his eyes at the door. It was an advanced ward spell. Anyone trying to listen would hear a false conversation. They would not be able to hear what was truly being discussed "Eavesdroppers?"

Severus nodded as he relaxed, tucking his wand back into the holster. "Indeed, my lord." he answered, "The vampires were concerned about Rhyian. It seems that they're under the impression that you may hurt him."

Rhyian looked at Severus in disbelief, "Why would they assume such a thing?"

Severus shrugged gracefully and waved his wand to cast an Analysis spell on Rhyian. "I know not, young master." He answered. "The vampire doctor is far too observant, though his mind is woefully unguarded." Severus stated as a scroll appeared in front of him, listing all of Rhyian's injuries. "He inspected you when you were unconscious and noted certain abnormalities about you. I've altered his knowledge."

Rhyian frowned, "Abnormalities?" he looked down at himself, "I thought I would be human until I was seventeen years old."

Severus and Voldemort glanced at him sharply, "I thought Lucius gave you books to read on Lamia growth and development?"

Rhyian nodded, "He did."

Severus frowned, "And you read them all, thoroughly?"

The younger wizard nodded, confusion written on his face.

Severus glanced at Voldemort while the Dark Lord frowned. "It seems that you're suffering under a misconception, Rhyian."

The potions master nodded. "You aren't human. Never were. You were born a Lamia." At Rhyian's confusion, he elaborated, "Lamia children are similar to human children. Till the age of seventeen, they are what humans consider prepubescent." Rhyian paused, looking at Severus incredulously.

The potion's master smirked while Voldemort chuckled faintly. "Lamia children will go through a vampire version of puberty from the age seventeen to twenty one. That's what we call inheritance in the wizarding world. Since you are sixteen, your body is preparing for it. Your ears have started to gain a distinct shape. I assume that you canines are noticeably sharper as well." Severus arched a brow, "You didn't think that on your seventeenth birthday, your body will suddenly change and you will become an adult lamia within a matter of hours, did you?"

At Rhyian's sheepish look, Severus rolled his eyes. "Fool. You may have noticed that when your Uncle Lucius is hungry or particularly enraged, a series of silver designs form on his body." Rhyian nodded, "Those markings are something that show the common ancestry of Elves and Lamias. Both species have similar markings. They will be invisible for most part." He frowned, "Their purpose is still a mystery. However, we know that they are like fingerprints. They differs from person to person. At seventeen, you will be considered an adult because that is when you start sensing your mate. As in, you reach your sexual maturity." Severus smirked, "It means that if your mate is around, you can safely shag her or hi-"

"Hold it." Voldemort stated before Severus could give Rhyian any ridiculous ideas and turned to his son with a stern glare, "You aren't shagging anyone until I permit it."

Severus and Rhyian stilled.

The potion's master snorted, his pale face flushing as he suppressed his need to laugh.

Wide green eyes observed the two adults in the room incredulously. "Now I have seen and heard everything." He murmured, not knowing whether to be mortified, indignant or amused.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "I am completely serious. There will be consequences if you disobey me, Rhyian and you'll not like it."

Rhyian rolled his eyes. "I know, father. It's just that I don't think of such things at all. There is no one I am particularly attracted to now and I doubt there will be anyone anytime soon. Don't worry, you have me all to yourself."

Severus snorted once again, "If I may continue?"

Both father and son nodded in agreement, their nearly identical heads moving in sync.

"You've always been fast. Your reflexes have always been sharp. Moreover, you have always healed faster, not fast enough for Dumbledore to be suspicious but fast. Madame Pomphrey noticed it, of course, but she is bound by oath and without your explicit permission, cannot give your secrets away to anyone."

He gestured towards Rhyian's face, "Your vision is already on its way to correcting itself. By the time you're eighteen or nineteen, you should be able to see clearly without the aid of spectacles. By the time you are twenty-one, I assume you will gain the keen vision of Lamias and Elves." He looked down at Rhyian tall yet slender body, "You have still some growing to do but I do not think you will gain any more muscle mass. Your species have always been slender and agile. I definitely expect you to be taller but you will feel lighter."

Rhyian frowned, "I must have misunderstood what I read. You're telling me that it'll take four years for my body to change and all my Lamia powers to emerge."

Severus nodded, "Yes. Some changes are very superficial. Such as the shape or your ears, your fangs, etc. However, other changes won't be so pronounced and will be very important. There'll be changes within your body. You'll need to start consuming blood in regular intervals to keep you magic strong and controlled. You'll actively start seeking a mate. Your instincts and abilities will sharpen; your body will grow stronger and mature. That takes time. Such things don't happen over night."

He frowned, "Don't be under the impression that it will start on your birthday either. It'll begin anytime during your seventeenth year and you'll hardly notice the changes. They'll not be painful. The most you'll suffer from will be some anger-management problems and your hormones acting up." Severus looked faintly dismayed when he said that. A temperamental Rhyian was not something he wanted to deal with.

Rhyian got a dry look on his face, "So basically, all those wizarding fairytales I read about little boys and girls suddenly undergoing a miraculous transformation and finding their soul mates was utter crap?"

Severus raised a brow and glanced at Voldemort, "What has he been reading?"

Voldemort shrugged, "He read the children's stories. I thought it would be wise. Almost every child in our world reads them so I thought it would be wise for Rhyian to read them as well. Besides, those stories have a lot of essential information about our society that is carefully disguised so that our children don't get bored."

Severus frowned but nodded, "It seems there is some misinformation as well." He placed his palm over his godson's forehead before nodding to himself. "I cannot give you any strong potions since you have so much muggle medicine in you but there are a few light potions that will ease your pain and help you sleep and recover." He glared at Rhyian sternly, "You _must_ rest. Your wounds will take a long time to heal, magic or not."

Voldemort stilled and glanced towards the door with a faint frown.

Rhyian looked at his father as he took the potions Severus had offered him, "Father? Something wrong?"

"Indeed." The Dark Lord whispered and gestured Severus to cancel the spell. The potions master nodded and waved his wand at the door. He banished all the empty potion vials before his master could open the door and set about covering Rhyian with a warm coverlet.

Voldemort opened the door and leaned against the frame with his hands crossed and brow raised.

In front of him, the five vampires were speaking in hushed tones with a stubborn looking girl. She was pale and looked tired. There were a few minor scratches on her but otherwise, she seemed healthy. She was glaring at a tall vampire whose hair was just as messy as his Rhyian's used to be.

"Edward please! He saved me, I _need _to see with my own eyes that he's alright and thank him." The girl pleaded and Voldemort narrowed his eyes.

"Bella…" The vampire sighed, "He-"

"Needs rest and I doubt your company will give him any pleasure." Another vampire, a rather stunning female, stated snidely. The same woman turned toward him and walked forward in swift, confident strides. "Hello, sir. You must be Rhyian's father. I'm Rosalie Hale."

Voldemort arched a brow and observed her impassively. For anyone outside his circle to approach him so casually was rare. "Tom Riddle." He stated simply by way of introduction. His eyes turned towards the human girl and he tilted his head to the side, his voice almost seductive had it not been for the expression of utter malice on his face. "So you're the brat my son saved."

The child paled, almost taking a step back but the presence of the vampire, Edward, seemed to reassure her and she took a step towards him. She bowed her head, her pale skin flushing, "I'm sorry for the trouble I caused." She admitted meekly, "I hope Rhyian is well?"

Voldemort's lips twisted into a sneer when he noticed that she was subtly trying to see past him, her eyes seeking out his heir.

Her mind was protected but her only defense was a weak wall that he could penetrate easily. Soon he could hear her voice that was clear as a bell to his strong legilimency skills.

Carefully, he maintained eye contact with her, knowing that one of the vampires was a telepath and another was an empath. He wanted to know what happened. While he had gotten faint details from the doctor, he didn't know how exactly did his son get injured while trying to save the girl.

In a fraction of a second, before anyone could notice anything was amiss, he waved his hand slightly and copied her memory before turning and walking into Rhyian's room. He left the door open so that the vampires and the girl could entire and analyzed her memories.

It started out simple enough. She was just getting ready to get into a vehicle when a skidding car headed her way. The Dark Lord could sense that she froze in terror, never having encountered such a situation before. Her thoughts were unclear and jumbled as she looked onto the oncoming car and suddenly she was snatched out of the way.

Voldemort frowned when he realized that this was where his son had stepped in. She had a clear memory of the sting caused by Rhyian's sharp nails as he rescued her.

It was amusing to see how girls looked at his son. He almost chuckled at the words going through her head when she first laid eyes on Rhyian. He knew that most would consider his son to be very attractive and the girl's thoughts proved him true. Despite the situation, she seemed to be drawn to the color of his eyes. His strong, elegant features seemed to remind her of royalty.

He snorted.

'_His grip is so strong… like being hugged by someone powerful…_'

His face twisted into a grimace and he narrowed his eyes at the girl who was now looking at his son with wide, fascinated eyes.

A brief glimpse of her mind told him many things about her. Despite her meek behavior in his presence, he noted that she did have a strong personality. While she was intelligent, she was also quite immature and stubborn. She could be courageous if the situation demanded it but there was no cunning in her.

She was _ordinary. _

He scowled. She was ordinary and dared to presume that she was worthy of _his son's_ attentions.

Voldemort knew Rhyian. The child had simply reacted. Years' worth of sharp instincts had forced him to act before he could think. He hadn't saved the girl's life because he particularly cared for it. He had done it simply because he could.

"You are very silent, my lord." Severus whispered to him as they watched the vampires bicker with Rhyian while the girl sat silently, her eyes keenly observing the injured boy. "In normal circumstances, you wouldn't have let anyone come without ten feet of your son when he is injured."

The Dark Lord smirked, "Indeed." He narrowed his eyes at Bella. "That girl annoys me."

Severus glanced at him in amusement. "Does she? A mere small-town girl?"

Voldemort was well aware that the vampires would hear every word he spoke clearly. He wondered if he would have to make it clear to the girl exactly how out of reach Rhyian was lest she too got it into her head to develop attachment towards his son. "Why Severus, can't you see." He murmured slyly, "She is positively smitten by him."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the vampire named Edward stiffen and pay close attention towards Bella.

"She wouldn't be the first one, my lord." Severus stated in amusement, "And I doubt she would be the last. They don't seem to understand how far above their station Rhyian is."

Voldemort smirked, "Now, now, Severus. That is prejudice. Besides, I'm certain she knows very little about noble families and the ancient traditions and history that is such a vital aspect of our lives." He glanced at Rhyian, who seemed to be able to hear them as well, judging by the displeased scowl on his face. After all, his senses may not have been as sharp as the vampire's may be but they were still superior to that of humans. "She only sees a rich, handsome boy who was courageous enough to save her life at the risk of his own. A perfect knight in shining armor."

Their condescending words did not settle well with Rhyian, that much was obvious. He seemed to shift uncomfortably and glare at them. He was aware that the vampires could hear every word and that enraged and embarrassed him.

Rhyian had never been an advocate of pureblood propaganda, after all.

Before they could continue their conversation, Rhyian acted. With the slyness of a snake, he pretended, discreetly, that he was exhausted.

The vampires quickly caught on and left the room after saying their well wishes, taking a reluctant Bella along with them.

Severus, knowing that Rhyian was about to erupt, waved his wand and placed the ward on the door.

"What in the bloody hell was that!!" Rhyian hissed, his pale eyes sparkling in anger. "I thought you left all that pureblood prejudice well behind you, father! And uncle Severus! Since when did you start believing in such things?"

Voldemort chuckled and Rhyian glowered, "I don't understand what's so amusing. Since when did you condescend to gossip?"

"That wasn't gossip." Severus stated as he gently pushed Rhyian so that he would lie back down on his bed. "That was a calculated conversation."

Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"To prevent certain people from developing affections that won't be reciprocated and to avoid potential problems."

"The vampires?" Rhyian asked as he relaxed into the warm bed. "Affections?"

Voldemort shrugged, "Not particularly the vampires. The girl."

"Swan?" Voldemort's son grimaced, "But she is smitten with Edward."

"Girls her age are often fickle with their emotions." Severus stated, "It is only natural. I assume that our conversation will persuade the vampires to discourage the girl if she does decide to pursue you."

Rhyian rubbed his forehead. "This is getting puzzling. Father, you knew that the vampires would naturally gravitate towards me. You must have surely known that they _will _form an attachment with me! In fact, you are _encouraging_ me to form friendships with them. You have no qualms about exploiting thei-" Rhyian paused, "What am I saying, of course you don't." He murmured with a grimace. "You are planning something."

Voldemort smirked, pride obvious of his regal features.

Rhyian's eyes widened, "You want these vampires." He whispered, "You want them and you are using _me_ as bait to get them."

Voldemort chuckled and nodded his head in agreement.

"_Bloody hell…_"


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: Fate's Hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Warnings and pairings: Refer to the previous chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**AN: Edward fans beware, you'll not like the Rhyian in this chapter. No bashing or anything like that but I believe vampires should be a little darker and more dangerous… Stephenie Meyer had practically defanged those poor things.**

**This chapter has no central theme in this so it may seem a little scattered and out of order. However, from this point forth, the real story starts. I've established the setting now. Edward and Rhyian will progress from here but don't expect their starting relationship to be smooth or in any way equal. Rhyian is way, **_**way**_** more superior to Edward and that would only hinder their relationship.**

**Anyways, enjoy.**

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"You have mail, young master." Henry declared as he came forward, his gloved hand offering him the unopened letter and well as beautifully carved ivory letter opener.

Rhyian sighed and sat up in his bed while Lucius, who had arrived just that morning, eyed the envelope suspiciously. "Have you checked to see if it's safe, Henry?" the adult lamia asked and Rhyian rolled his eyes, his fingers delicately tearing open the envelope.

"_I_ didn't sir but master did. It was only after he was thoroughly convinced that it was safe that he allowed me to bring it to Master Rhyian."

Rhyian snorted and opened the letter absently, wondering if it was from Ron or Hermione.

'_Mischief Managed._'

Rhyian stilled, his eyes wide and his face pale when he recognized the handwriting. He had received so many letters from him in the past that it was impossible not to recognize his handwriting.

He bit his lower lip and whispered, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." And words started to appear in front of his eyes.

'_Dear Harry… or it is Rhyian now?_

'_You are one sly kid, huh. You went and became all buddy-buddy with the snake-face and you didn't even tell us? I'm insulted! So little trust?_'

Rhyian took in a deep, steadying breath, ignoring his uncle's questioning look as he continued reading.

'_Jokes aside before I give you a premature heart-attack, eh?_' Rhyian almost smiled, '_Frankly, I've been expecting it. Especially after Voldemort was resurrected._

_That Rockwell was one smart lad. He had a spying spell on him that transferred all the information he got to Dumbledore in case he died. Now Dumbledore knows that Voldemort has a son. A powerful son at that. Have Snivellus check himself to see if he has any similar spells on him. Despite what he says, Dumbledore doesn't trust Snape._

_I guess it's time for me to reveal everything to you, isn't it? I hope you will forgive me in the future, pup. I was responsible for you and yet I betrayed the trust placed on me by Regulus, James, Lily and Lady Riddle._'

Rhyian stilled.

'_Yes, your mother, Lady Riddle. Things aren't as simple as they seem, pup. Believe me when I say that Regulus didn't act impulsively nor did James and Lily steal you away from the Dark Lord without reason. They did what they did because your real mother left behind detailed instructions for us._'

"Impossible." He whispered and Lucius leaned forward in concern.

"Rhyian, what is it?"

"Uncle, please, get father here as soon as possible." Rhyian pleaded and Lucius quickly rose to comply, giving Henry a soft command to stay with his nephew.

'_I assume that you found the vault Regulus left in your name. We took that precaution in case none of us survived to tell you the truth._

_A few months into her pregnancy, Lady Riddle approached Regulus. She told him that she could see he was incapable of truly following the Dark Lord now that he had seen Voldemort's true nature. She then went on to explain about the Horcruxes and asked Regulus if there were any trustworthy people that she could approach who wouldn't betray her secrets to the ministry, Albus or her husband._

_Regulus contacted me and I, along with James, Lily and Remus met her. I tell you, pup, your mother was one extraordinary woman. Not only did she manage to love your father despite everything, she was strong enough to betray him for his own good. When she was killed, we thought Voldemort found out everything and murdered her but Regulus told us that it wasn't Voldemort who did it. We went forth with her plan._

_She told us all that we needed to know. She told us that we needed to take you away… for your own sake as well as his. You were the only one with the power to cure him but there is more to it, Rhyian. There's a prophecy.'_

The Slytherin heir stilled, narrowing his eyes.

'_It prophesizes Voldemort's defeat at your or should I say Harry Potter's hands._'

Rhyian's eyes widened.

'_Should that prophecy be fulfilled, there will be a moment of peace, pup. __**Only a moment of peace**__. _

_All purebloods, including your mother, the Malfoys, my family and James' family noticed the decay in our society. We noticed that something drastic needed to happen to change it. _

_We needed a Dark Lord to change that. A __**true**__ Dark Lord. _

_This has been going on for a long time, pup. Your father was supposed to bring about the advent of a new age. If he had been allowed to continue with his plans, he would've ushered in a set of laws that would have changed our world very significantly. For good or for bad, none of us knows, but it was supposed to happen. He would've gone on to be the best leader of the modern age._

_Frankly, I was skeptical at first, pup. However, in this circumstance, I knew, we all knew just how powerful your father was. It wasn't just his magical power… he had everything. He had access to the near endless resource of the Slytherin estate as well as the support of purebloods. He possessed a mind of almost unparalleled brilliance and was the epitome of all that was Slytherin. His political acumen was stunning. He could manipulate almost anything to his disadvantage. _

_His mastery over Dark Arts was exceptional. He lived and breathed Dark Magic. He was an entity immersed in it. _

_We are talking about a genuine magical prodigy here, pup._

_However, he ruined himself. Getting involved with something as corrupted as the Horcruxes was a bad move on his part._'

Rhyian frowned, trying to comprehend what Sirius was trying to tell him.

'_Lady Riddle was very smart, pup. Your father is capable of many things and we needed to harness that power and to channel it in the right direction. We needed to cure him and push him back on his original path. We had to make certain sacrifices for that but it was necessary. We needed to seize this opportunity to cleanse our world._

_When you cured your father, the purpose of the prophecy ceased to exist. You defeated the true darkness in him allowing his more stable nature to emerge. Prophecies are uncertain things. They are never written in stone. They tell us of the consequences of our actions. They foretell what __**can**__ happen not what __**must**__ happen. _

_What the prophecy foretold can still happen as long as your father and Harry Potter are still alive. However, that doesn't mean that it must happen._

_You aren't the prophecy child, that's Harry Potter… the same Harry Potter you replaced. _

_That was our intention all along. To keep him safe so that he can do what he was destined to do if it was necessary. It was either you saving your father and therefore our world or Harry Potter killing him and maintaining peace._

_Harry is still alive. He will only emerge if Voldemort strays from his path. No one knows of his existence so you need not worry about either Dumbledore or the Ministry using him to kill you father._

_We used you to ensure that everything would go back on the right track._

_For that and for the pain we have caused you, I am sorry._'

Rhyian leaned back, looking at the letter impassively. His face was void of all emotions as the letter revealed one shocking fact after another.

There was only so much betrayal he could take.

'_You see why I am so anxious? You have suffered more than anyone else. We destroyed your childhood, your happiness. You don't realize it but I know that the Dark Lord would have cherished you, regardless of everything. Those innocent little years will never come back. Those years when you were supposed to be loved, sheltered and indulged and yet you were abused, neglected and starved._'

_No matter what the outcome is, I will always regret it. I will always regret the misery we caused you._'

"Rhyian?"

The Dark Lord's heir looked up to find his father gazing at him in concern. "Something wrong?"

Rhyian sighed and gestured Voldemort to sit. "Let me finish this and I'll tell you."

'_Now that you are back in Voldemort's care, I can finally be free to do as I please. I'm leaving Britain along with Moony. Both of us will travel the world and then finally settle down in a place where we can find our happiness. I have already emptied my vaults and will leave as soon as Moony has recovered from his latest transformation. _

_On a serious note, I must tell you that I'll never be able to join Voldemort's side, pup. However, that doesn't mean that I'm opposed to him. Too much has happened and too many of my precious people have died for his cause and I can't… I just can't support him. Please inform that that both Remus and I have detached ourselves from Dumbledore's side and don't wish to participate in this conflict._

_I still hope we can stay in touch. _

_I really love you, kiddo. You've been the light of my life, the light that got me through Azkaban and the isolation forced upon me for the past few years. Without you and Remus, I would have been lost a long time ago._

_Take care and have some fun, pup. Enjoy life. I know you are happy; I overheard Ron and Hermione discussing just how content you were. By the way, tell them to be careful. Merlin forbid, Dumbledore or anyone loyal to him overhears them. All our hard work will go down the drain if that happens. Give Narcissa a kiss for me, will you? She absolutely had me fooled with that Doppelganger. That was a prank worthy of the Marauders._

_Remember, if you need anything, contact me through the mirror I'm sending along with his letter. Despite my stance in this conflict, there is one person I'll never abandon and that is you. _

_I'll always be your godfather, kiddo._

_With love,_

_Sirius._'

Rhyian closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillows, an overwhelming feeling of sadness making him feel almost dizzy.

He opened his eyes and looked at his silent father who was observing him patiently. He felt as though he was a puppet. His life had been planned from before he was born.

He hated it.

"Dad…"

Voldemort eyes narrowed at the weakness in Rhyian's voice and he turned his eyes towards Lucius and gestured sharply towards the door.

The Malfoy lord looked at his nephew in concern before walking out of the room after Henry, leaving the father and son alone.

"What's wrong?" Voldemort asked softly, rising from his chair and sitting on Rhyian's bed, combing his fingers through his son's hair. "You seem upset."

"I don't know what to think…"

The Dark Lord frowned, "Who sent you the letter, Rhyian?"

"Sirius."

"_What?_" Voldemort's voice was a tight, enraged hiss, his pale eyes flashing dangerously. "How does he know of your existence?"

The teenager bit his lip and handed his father the letter.

The Dark Lord stood and placed some distance between him and his son, leaving his wand on the bedside table. He had a suspicion that he would not like what was written in the letter and didn't want to risk hurting his already wounded son.

Keeping a tight reign on his magic, he read the letter. At every sentence, he felt a little of his control slip. By the time he reached to the lines that revealed his wife's involvement with the entire situation, he was trembling with rage. A part of him understood their motives but he couldn't ignore the keen sense of betrayal he felt when his wife's actions were revealed to him.

When his rage finally reached his peak, Rhyian shifted back, wrapping the coverlet around him as though the warm cloth could protect him from his father's furious magic.

He flinched, watching Voldemort with wide eyes as the Dark Lord crumbled the delicate parchment in his fist, his eyes glowing with an unearthly light.

"Merlin." He whispered to himself. Over the years, he has fooled himself into believing that he feared nothing but fear itself. He truly believed that he had the courage to face whatever obstacles fate threw at him. He cherished very few things to such an extent that their loss would frighten him.

However, over the past year, he had only seen his father's care and affection. Even when Voldemort reprimanded him sternly, there was an underlying hint of protective affection that Rhyian had _always_ been able to sense. He had many things to lose now and that had robbed him of his reckless courage.

His father's capacity for ruthlessness, the sheer magnitude of his power had become an afterthought. Voldemort had _never_ directed that icy rage towards him and Rhyian was sure that he never would. His father had earned that trust in spades.

Seeing him now, in a state of absolute fury, frightened Rhyian more than he would like to admit. It was truly a terrifying sight to witness. He knew that he was safe, he felt the darkness of his father's magic sinking into his skin, acknowledging as a part of Voldemort before curling around him protectively. However, that didn't stop that instinctive fear any Dark Magical being like himself would feel that the fury of a True Dark Lord.

"Father."

That one, softly spoken word was enough to the Dark Lord's rage to an immediate halt. Rhyian suffered a moment of disorientation and breathlessness at the sudden change in the air when Voldemort finally got command of himself.

He swallowed nervously and looked up, gazing into his father's eyes.

Rhyian couldn't conceal his wince when he saw the how unguarded Voldemort was. He could see just how his mother's lack of trust affected his father.

"I didn't."

Rhyian frowned, seeming confused, "I beg your pardon?"

Voldemort looked at him in the eye, "I didn't kill your mother. I didn't send a werewolf after her."

Rhyian nodded at that. He hadn't believed that in the first place. He relaxed and closed his eyes, "I find it sad that you killed the two people who were risking everything to save you."

Voldemort would have flinched had he had been the kind of man to do so. "It was war, Rhyian."

"And how many sins can we forgive because of that?" Rhyian asked sharply, "Father, do you even feel a sliver of remorse for the lives that you destroyed just because of this war. All of this for what?" Voldemort remained silent and Rhyian sighed, "Do you even realize what we have lost?"

"You want an explanation?" Voldemort asked with narrowed eyes, "You want to understand something that is beyond your comprehension?"

Rhyian looked at his father incredulously; "Beyond my comprehension?" his voice degenerated into a sharp, snake-like hiss. "I've been reaping the consequences of this bloody war between you and Dumbledore all my life! I have the right to demand explanation! I have the right to_ know_ why you think that it's alright for you to play with other people's lives!"

"I didn't realize that I was answerable to you."

Rhyian took a deep, steadying breath, "Spare me your insufferable arrogance." He stated bluntly, "Had it not been for Lily Potter, I would've been dead as well."

Voldemort paled, his startling eyes narrowing in warning. '_Don't you dare…_'

"You would've killed me that night without a hint of remorse."

The glass jug of water on the bedside table exploded and Rhyian let out a soft cry of surprise and pain as a shard of glass cut into his cheek.

Voldemort cursed and shot forward, cradling Rhyian's face in his hands as he observed the shallow cut. "Must I always warn you not to speak so irrationally?"

Rhyian looked at him in the eye, "I've no reason to fear you."

The Dark Lord paused, "Rhyian… even after that ritual… my sanity and my temper is not entirely trustworthy…"

"I believe what I see and experience, father. I trust you and I am asking you to trust me. I want to understand." He pleaded softly, "What is it that motivates all of you to do this? Mother, the Potters, Sirius, Remus and everyone else, what is so bad that you need to take such drastic steps? We can still abandon your plans and live peacefully. Every one of us. Uncle Severus will no longer have to spy; Uncle Lucius will no longer have to jeopardize his reputation and the safety of his family. The Death Eater's children will no longer have to face prejudice in Hogwarts. People won't unnecessarily die. Why is this ridiculous conflict necessary?"

"You are very naïve if you believe that everything will just go away." Voldemort whispered softly but he was looking at Rhyian fondly, as though pleased by his son's innocence. "There are some things that I cannot teach you, Rhyian. You must come to understand those things on your own, when your mind is ready to accept it."

"Are you sure you aren't underestimating me?" Rhyian asked calmly but he was beginning to see his father's point.

Voldemort scoffed lightly as he healed Rhyian's cut before it could scar. "Never underestimate a Slytherin."

Rhyian smiled innocently, "You forget that I'm a Gryffindor."

His father favored him with a steady, knowing stare and Rhyian flushed when he realized that he had forgotten just how much the Dark Lord knew about him.

"Only in name, my little snake." Voldemort said in amusement, "Only in name."

Rhyian sighed in resignation, "Are you even going to tell me what you're planning to do to Edward?"

Voldemort opened his mouth to answer but paused when a thought occurred to him. He raised a brow at his heir, "_Edward?_" he knew his son well and he knew that it took a lot for his son to remember a person's first name and use it causally. Moreover, he never singled out a particular vampire…

Rhyian shrugged, "He just stands out in my mind. Don't know why, though."

Voldemort looked at his son in suspicion. Rhyian was innocent, still a year away from his maturity to detect anything but…

He quickly schooled his expression before Rhyian could read it and shrugged casually, "I'll let you know when it is time."

His son scowled at him, "I don't appreciate you using me as bait."

Voldemort raised a brow, "I don't see any harm in doing so. It's not as if I'm going to use them as ritual sacrifices."

"That not what-" Rhyian paused and narrowed his eyes, "You aren't going to do that… right?"

Voldemort chuckled, "Get some rest."

Rhyian paused for a moment, looking at his father with a frown, "You are leaving, tonight, aren't you? Along with Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius?"

The Dark Lord nodded, "Yes. We can't stay away for too long, Rhyian."

The young boy sighed, closing his eyes, "That's doesn't stop me from hoping, does it." He murmured, "I wish you could stay."

Voldemort reached forward, brushing a strand of jet-black hair of Rhyian's forehead, "I wish that as well." He confessed, watching as Rhyian fell asleep.

* * *

"Jasper?" Carlisle asked in confusion as his son placed a file in front of him. "What is this?"

Edward frowned, "We have been thinking about Rhyian and his reason to come to Forks for a long while now." He admitted, "Since he is returning to school tomorrow, we thought that we should research and find out what kind of threat we'd face while protecting him." Carlisle smiled softly at the casual mention of protecting someone they knew for barely a week. "Jasper and I thought that since Rhyian seems to belong to nobility… there must be something about him or his father on the internet."

The doctor nodded, "Did you find anything?"

Jasper glanced at Edward and nodded, "Yes. Many things and yet nothing."

Rosalie raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

Edward scowled, "Thomas Riddle... I think that was Rhyian's grandfather… rose to prominence in 1950's. Made many good investments, started a textile business before expanding. However, the most important thing about him was the land he owned."

Jasper nodded, "He was the Lord of an estate called Baneraven. That particular estate is quite famous. It has existed for a long time… in fact, traces of the Baneraven clan can be found as far as thousand years in the past. The most concrete evidence of their presence is a written account of a witch-burning."

Esme winced and Carlisle scowled, "Witch-burning? They were involved in that?"

Edward nodded, "Involved as in victims of that. A very prominent lord who went by the name of Salazar wrote that account. It contains a description of how his wife was brutally executed after she was accused of being a witch. Since then, the Baneraven clan has faded from public view. Anyone who had tried to purchase that estate has been denied. People who wished to see the beautiful manor have been turned away. For such a rich and noble family to simply be able to vanish from records is… nearly impossible."

Carlisle nodded, "Nearly impossible but it has happened before. What else?"

Jasper consulted the file, "Around twenty years later, Thomas Riddle seemed to have disappeared but many suspect that he died and his family simply didn't inform the public. They were known to be private people. For a long while, his representatives handled the business empire established by Thomas Riddle. However, according to rumors, it seems that his son Tom Riddle succeeded him and managed the estate. Tom wasn't as socially active as his father. It was only a year or so ago that Tom Riddle was seen but that was a fleeting glimpse."

Edward showed them a photograph with Tom Riddle and Rhyian Riddle exiting a concert hall. Both were dressed formally and looked every bit as elegant and rich as people of their background would.

Alice giggled as she read an article, "Oh… it says here that after that night Rhyian became an instant celebrity. The media took every opportunity to photograph him and write articles about him."

Edward nodded, "Yes but they couldn't find out anything about him. They didn't know which school he attended. They don't know who his friends are… they know nothing about him but his name."

"And he is just as reclusive as his father." Jasper added, "He doesn't seem to have any of the bad habits that many heirs develop. He is quiet… don't get involved with controversies…"

"Well," Emmett decided to give his opinion, "Mr. Riddle seems like a pretty strict guy… the little prince seemed respectfully scared of him." The large vampire frowned, "I don't blame him. Mr. Riddle is intimidating."

That coming from a vampire of over six and a half feet that liked to chew on grizzlies was saying something.

Carlisle nodded, "I suspect that Mr. Riddle has a lot of influence of Rhyian and his life."

"That much is obvious." Alice stated cheerfully. She had liked Rhyian's father from the very first glance. "I find it cute! They are so alike!"

Carlisle turned to Rosalie, "What do you think about Mr. Riddle?"

The beautiful girl frowned. "I think every one of us felt intimidated." Her family, excluding Esme, nodded. "And I get the feeling that the only reason _Rhyian_ doesn't intimidate us is because he is a child and Mr. Riddle an adult." She leaned back and crossed her legs elegantly, "I think it is safe to say that they aren't normal. Mr. Malfoy made me a little uncomfortable… something in me recognized him as a superior being. I don't think they are humans."

Carlisle nodded, "In all my years, I've never met people who had enticed such reactions out of vampires. I've met my share of singers and they are the only people that seem to get some instinctive reaction out of us…" he turned to look at Edward, "Of course, this is a good thing. If Ms. Swan affects you too much, you can get in contact with Rhyian. That may make things easier for you."

Edward looked at his father with a frown, "Won't Rhyian get suspicious?"

"Hey," Emmett grinned, "His father did mention that we should be friends so that Rhyian doesn't get lonely. Mr. Riddle didn't like Swan but he liked us, didn't he?"

Jasper frowned, "Maybe we affect them in a similar manner? If we are indeed correct and they aren't humans then it is possible. You said it yourself, dad, that there may be creatures other than Vampires and Shape shifters in the world…."

Carlisle shook his head, "It is all well and fine to make assumptions but it is another thing altogether to find proof." He looked at his children sternly, "I ask you all to be careful. The nature of Rhyian's wound was vicious and he is just a child. If he can bleed and get hurt as he did during the accident then he is just as vulnerable as any other human is." The oldest vampire seemed grim, "I saw just how reluctant Mr. Riddle was. He didn't want to leave his son here. I get the feeling that it is not Rhyian they are after but Mr. Riddle… They want to use the son to cause harm to his father."

"I feel sorry for them." Alice whispered in an unusually solemn voice, "Rhyian doesn't like it here… he obviously doesn't want to be separated from his friends and family. I overheard his aunt and uncle talking. They obviously feel that Rhyian safer here than he is in England."

Rosalie scoffed, "Did you see that wound on his chest… I don't want him to go back to England at all."

Carlisle frowned, "Careful, Rosalie." He warned, "He doesn't belong here. England is his home and it would serve you well not to get too attached."

"That is a problem." Jasper stated, "How do we prevent ourselves from becoming too attached?"

They exchanged silent glances, unable to answer the question.

Edward sighed and stood, "We can't do much about this." Rhyian's effect on him had been powerful enough to make him wary.

Carlisle shook his head and leaned back in his chair gracefully. "Go to his home tomorrow and escort him to school. He won't be able to drive with that fractured leg." The older vampire suggested, "Make sure he's feeling well enough for school before you leave. If he is not, convince him to take rest for a few more days, if you can."

Rosalie nodded, "Edward, Emmett and I will go." she glanced at her only sister and smirked, "I believe Alice's hyper activeness and her clairvoyance annoy Rhyian."

Alice pouted when Edward chuckled and nodded in agreement. It was obvious that Rhyian got easily irritated with Alice and her bounciness. However, Jasper had told them that it wasn't real dislike, simply irritation and a little amount of fondness.

"Fine!" She huffed, "But I'll make him my best friend in a matter of days! Remember that!" she stuck her tongue out at Rosalie with a playful light in her eyes before grasping Jasper's hand and dragging him to their room.

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head. They'll just have to wait and see how things progressed.

Speculations would only serve to make them paranoid.

He glanced towards Edward briefly and smiled when his son nodded in agreement. Edward would be careful and wise.

Carlisle never doubted that.

* * *

It was obvious that Rhyian wasn't expecting them by the manner in which his brows shot up in surprise when Henry escorted them to his study.

Having had pureblood manners drilled into him by his Aunt, he nodded to greet his guests graciously, "Edward, Rosalie and Emmett… what a surprise, please have a seat." He gestured toward the rich leather chairs that were situated before the fireplace.

Carefree as ever, Emmett was the first to wave off the awkwardness and sit down gracelessly on the chair. "We thought that since you are injured, you wouldn't be able to drive that awesome car of yours and would need someone to take you to school."

Rhyian observed them in amusement. "If you recall, I do have a butler who is perfectly capable of driving and escorting me to school safely."

The vampires stilled in embarrassment, looking at him in surprise.

It seems that they had forgotten that.

"Ah, that slipped our minds." Edward stated softly, his rather alluring voice making Rhyian wonder if the vampire could sing. "Butlers, I'm afraid, are nonexistent in this town."

Rhyian's lips twitched, "I imagine." He stated dryly but he was well aware of their true motives. How unfortunate it was to be ruled by your instincts to such an extent. He knew that they wouldn't be able to keep themselves away from him for long. The allure of a Lamia was strong and seductive. Making certain to disguise his pleasure, he continued to speak, "Can I offer you something to eat or drink?"

"Please don't trouble yourself." Edward stated politely, shooting Emmett a warning look as he took his seat while Rosalie seemed to examine him closely, "How are you feeling?"

Rhyian shrugged, "As well as one can expect." He stated frankly, "I am getting tried to being incapacitated for so long."

"Yes." Rosalie stated, her eyes narrowing at him, "You did have a wound that hadn't healed before the accident happened."

Rhyian smiled at her enigmatically. It was obvious to him that there was a question disguised in her words. However, he was far from falling prey to such unsubtle interrogation tactics. Glancing at his wristwatch, he smirked, "It is still early. We have a while before we need leave, woul-"

"Hey, little prince, who is this?"

Rhyian looked away from Edward and raised a brow. The inquisitive Emmett had already started exploring his study and was now gazing quizzically at his family portraits. Thankfully, all of them were inactive because he imagined that Emmett's curiosity would grate on his ancestors' nerves.

"Ah," he murmured in amusement as he stood, grimacing down at his crutches. The consequence of staying in a muggle town was the fact that he couldn't use magical means to heal his injuries. The most his current godfather could do was to give him potions to ease his pain. "That is Salazar, my many times Great-Grandfather." He felt Edward and Rosalie walk over and observe the Founder's portrait in interest.

"He seems very…"

Rhyian chuckled, "Regal?" he asked, looked at the familiar painting with a smile. Cool green eyes, wavy jet-black hair, a goatee and a tall, broad-shouldered frame made Salazar Slytherin seem elegant and powerful.

Edward glanced at him, "I am surprised that there is so much resemblance between you and him. The eyes…" he trailed off, faintly disappointed that Rhyian's entrancing eyes were once again hidden behind spectacles.

"And this?"

Rhyian once again had to draw his eyes away from Edward to look at the painting that Emmett was considering. "Oh, that's Uncle Lucius and Uncle Severus when they were younger… they were still studying in school."

"Is this your father?" Rosalie asked, her voice surprise, "Why does he have a _snake_ wrapped around him?"

Rhyian chuckled, "That's indeed my father and the snake is his pet, Nagini."

"Your father has a _pet snake?_" Emmett asked incredulously, "That's so cool!"

"Why paintings?" Edward asked softly, "All of these portraits are paintings. Beautiful but wouldn't photographs be a better option?"

The lamia observed the paintings with a fond smile. "It's a tradition in my family." He gestured towards his own portrait. The painting consisted of him with Raiden by his side. The beautiful horse seemed to be nuzzling him affectionately. "That's Raiden, my stallion."

"He's beautiful." Rosalie commented softly, observing the painting keenly. Raiden complimented Rhyian beautifully, making her wish that she would be able to see Rhyian riding the horse at least once.

"You have a _horse?_" Emmett asked incredulously, "That awesome car wasn't enough? Man, I never imagined that I would be jealous of you!"

Rhyian smirked. Raiden wasn't the only horse he owned, only his favorite but he wasn't about to tell Emmett that. He chuckled faintly and gestured them to follow him. "Come on, I might as well give you a tour."

Edward looked down at Rhyian's leg in concern, "Are you certain you are well enough for that?"

"Of course." Rhyian shot him a dry look, "If I can't do something as trivial as walking about my home, how am I supposed to go to school?" he smiled in amusement, "And something tells me that you will enjoy my library, Edward."

"You have your own library _too?_" Emmett asked and Rosalie hit him on the head.

"Would you stop acting like a jealous little brat?" She hissed at him but there was no missing the amusement in her eyes, "You are embarrassing me."

"But Rose!" Emmett whined but she ignored him, much to Rhyian amusement and looked around his house with assessing eyes.

"You have a beautiful home, Rhyian."

The lamia smiled, "Yes, it is a beautiful house." He shrugged as he led them towards the library, "It's a pity that I'd never be able to appreciate it. I'm afraid nothing holds a candle to my home back in England."

"I gues-"

"Young master…"

They paused and turned to look at Henry. The butler shifted nervously, glancing around, his eyes keenly looking at all corners and shadows, as though he was expecting someone to attack him.

Rhyian sighed.

"He escaped once again, didn't he?"

Henry nodded nervously. "Forgive me, young master. I was certain that I closed the door after I fed him this morning."

"It's alright, Henry. He couldn't have gone far. I'm certain he'll return on his own." Rhyian assured, rubbing his temples, "I don't want to go looking for him now."

"But master, you guests…"

Rhyian looked at the vampires and smiled at the puzzled look on their faces. "It seems my pet has escaped. He tends to alarm people but he's very docile so you don't need to worry." When the vampires exchanged wry smiles, Rhyian resisted the urge to smirk.

After all, even vampires tended to get uncomfortable around snakes.

He waved Henry off and continued leading his guests towards the library. All books based on magic were either hidden or disguised so he didn't worry that the vampires would find them.

Just as he had suspected, Edward was instantly attracted to the books while Emmett went towards another section that consisted only comic books. Rhyian sometimes liked to indulge in them and Ron, being an avid fan, would send over whatever he could get his hands on.

As he observed his guests, he waited for them to get impatient. He could practically feel their curiosity and unease. They were attracted to him and yet they were wary. For a week now, he had been waiting for them to make their move. Waiting for them to try to understand what he was. They knew he wasn't a human. Vampires were too perceptive to ignore all those little clues that most people would disregard.

"Are you really feeling well enough to go to school?" Rosalie asked when she found nothing of interest.

Rhyian concealed a smirk. '_Here it is._'

"Yes. I'm afraid I'll never be enthusiastic about school but I believe I am able to cope with it." He shrugged, "If I feel it is too much, I can always come back home."

"That's startlingly mature, coming from a male." Rosalie said with a smirk.

Rhyian shot her a dry look, "Sexist."

Rosalie shook her head, "You remind me of myself."

"Oh?"

She nodded, "A scarred face hidden behind a beautiful porcelain mask."

The lamia looked at her in amusement, "You women are always so dramatic." He waved his hand elegantly, "I don't know about you but I have no masks and nor do I have any deep emotional scars of the kind that you imply." He glanced at Edward out of the corner of his eye, knowing that the other vampire was listening to their conversation keenly. "The notion of good and bad is almost always subjective." Rhyian whispered, "What you suffer in your life may not hold a candle to what many others suffer and you would still lament over it. That's because you personally went through the worst time of _your own_ life."

"Then how is it that you gained such an understanding?" Edward asked softly as he removed a book from the shelf and flipped through it casually. "Where does that maturity, that sarcastic and composed attitude originate from?"

Rhyian tilted his head to the side, "Why are we having this philosophical discussion?" asked, "What prompted this sudden interrogation?"

"We have known each other for more than a week." Edward replied, turning to face him. There was something building in the air, a strange sort of tension that made Edward's skin tingle. He kept his eyes locked with Rhyian's, feeling an urge to challenge that insufferable superiority that he saw in that gaze. "And throughout the time of our acquaintance, not once have you behaved in a manner that is befitting your age."

Rhyian smirked, "Is that supposed to be an insult, Cullen?"

Edward narrowed his eyes, "You tell me. I have been trying to figure out what it is that bothers me about you. You are…" he paused, looking for the right word to sum up his feelings, "_Frustrating_ me."

The lamia chuckled, his eyes glowing darkly, "Am I, now?" he tilted his head back, looking down at the vampire that was suddenly before him with a haughty smirk. He was getting drunk on Edward's challenging aura. "_What a fool._" Rhyian thought to himself as he peered into those topaz colored eyes, "_He doesn't know what he is dealing with._"

"Should I apologize?" he purred, leaning forward to run his finger down Edward's cheek in a dangerous caress, his nail trailing against the icy skin. "_Edward…_"

Rosalie and Emmett exchanged a silent look before exiting the library, leaving the other two alone. They felt a keen need to make themselves scarce.

"Why are you here, Rhyian?" Edward asked, "What are you?"

Rhyian withdrew suddenly, an enigmatic smile on his features. "What am I?" he chuckled, "What sort of question is that?" he asked as he turned to look at the book that Edward had been interested in.

"You're avoiding my question."

"Your question doesn't make much sense, Cullen." He remarked, his voice light, "Your interest in me makes no sense either."

Rhyian stilled suddenly when he felt icy fingers wrap around his wrist. "Why do you make me feel so…" Edward pursed his lips, trying to conceal his lengthening fangs, "so _reckless?_"

The lamia looked at Edward and broke the vampire's strong grip with almost insulting ease. "Reckless?" he asked, "Indeed, you are reckless." He narrowed his eyes, "I don't recall giving you permission to touch me, Cullen."

Edward took a step back, clenching his fist as he felt the sudden need to apologize for his bold actions. "I…"

Rhyian looked at the vampire, trying to control his own reactions as well. Why exactly was he losing control of his poise? Why did he feel the need to challenge the intelligence and strength he saw in Edward's eyes?

"I'm here for one reason only, Edward." He stated smoothly, composing himself before the vampire could notice anything amiss. "I am here because my father commands me to be here. Because he feels that for my own safety, I must be hidden." He narrowed his eyes in warning, "And I'll stay here for only a year. Don't look for trouble, Edward and don't give me trouble."

When Rhyian waved his hand in dismissal, Edward felt an odd ache develop within him. He couldn't resist the urge to test Rhyian, to try to unravel everything about him but he didn't want to upset the younger boy either. Something told him that offending Rhyian would only cause him more pain. Rhyian's dismissal or rejection would only serve to upset him.

He followed the other boy as they walked out of the library, knowing that things hadn't got off to a good start. The sense of inferiority that he felt in Rhyian's presence along with his need to ensure Rhyian's safety and happiness alarmed him. It was very rare for him to feel such a thing. He had always been so confident in his strength and abilities. Until Bella came along, no one's mind had eluded him.

Until Rhyian came along, no one had made him feel as though he was something _small and insignificant._

"I don't allow my friends to nag me, Edward. I find that supremely irritating."

Edward stilled, his gaze fixed on Rhyian's back as the bewildering boy walked out of the door.

_Friend…_

Maybe, it wasn't such a bad start after all.

* * *

The clatter of silverware and crockery filled the silent dining room as the Malfoys and Voldemort had their dinner. Everyone present could see that the Dark Lord was in a pensive mood. They stayed silent, waiting for their lord to voice his thoughts.

They didn't have to wait for long. As soon as they finished dinner and retired to the study, Voldemort decided to speak.

"I believe that sending Rhyian to Forks was a mistake… especially with the vampires…"

Lucius looked at the Dark Lord in confusion. "Forgive me, my lord, but didn't you conclude that Carlisle Cullen would be a good representative for Muggle Vampires and it was best to use Rhyian to lure the vampires?" he shared at glanced at Narcissa, "And Forks is a very isolated place as well."

Voldemort frowned, "I was under the impression that vampires couldn't harm Rhyian."

The Malfoy lord seemed baffled, "Of course, they can't. Even if they try, Rhyian can easily subdue them. It would take a mere thought from him to bring them to their knees."

"I suspect that one of those Vampires, Edward Cullen, is Rhyian mate."

Lucius and Narcissa looked at Voldemort in shock.

"Mate?" Lucius asked incredulously, "That's impossible. He's too young to sense such things."

"But, love…" Narcissa interrupted, a deep frown on her face, "You know as well as I that a Lamia can reach his maturity early if something triggers it. We have to take into consideration that Rhyian has gone through extraordinary experiences in his life."

"What do you mean, Narcissa?"

The Lady of the house seemed troubled. "My Lord, when Rhyian was adopted by the Potters, it suppressed his true identity. When he was Harry Potter, he was human." She explained softly, "When the adoption was nullified, Rhyian regained his true identity. I wouldn't be surprised if that forced Rhyian's body to grow faster. Moreover, he was on nutrient potions for a year to counteract his malnutrition from childhood, wasn't he? That, with his recent injuries and the closeness of his mate could very well force him into an early inheritance."

Lucius looked troubled as well, "Narcissa that means…"

"His instincts are maturing." Voldemort murmured with a frown, "That's why he was vaguely able to sense Edward."

"He'll need blood, my lord." Narcissa whispered, "He'll start to have cravings soon, if we are correct. Should we bring him back?"

"That wouldn't be such a good idea, Narcissa." Lucius stated as he kept his eyes on Voldemort, "Dumbledore is still too curious about Rhyian. Besides, it is too early to pull Rhyian away from his mate… if this Edward is indeed his mate." The Malfoy lord sneered, "What a blasphemy, a muggle vampire of all things."

"Henry would agree to be Rhyian's donor if the need arises. He is certainly healthy enough and young enough for his blood to taste appropriate to Rhyian." Voldemort commented, leaning back in his seat. "I'll take a trip to Romania to see if I can get Suppressors for Rhyian."

"My Lord, his first blood must come from you." Narcissa warned, "First blood should always be from a parent and if that is not possible, from a close relative. He'll fall sick otherwise."

Voldemort nodded, "Inform Henry. He must be ready." He looked at Lucius, "Some of his predatory instincts will be awakening as well, I assume? The vampires are sure to notice it if they gradually start being intimidated by Rhyian."

Lucius grimaced, "Indeed. Some of the _darker_ aspects of his nature are bound to start emerging now." He shifted in his seat, "I don't feel comfortable with having him out of our sight, my lord." He confessed.

"I don't, either." Voldemort commented, closing his eyes.

"You will have to explain to Rhyian that animal blood would weaken him, my lord." Narcissa warned, "Those muggle vampires are _vegetarians._ If they ask Rhyian to follow that path… muggle vampires are able to live on animal blood but Rhyian cannot. We cannot allow him to believe that living off animal blood is safe for him."

Voldemort sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly, "I am starting to think that someone had cursed my little boy." He murmured, wry amusement coloring his tone, "Not even a week goes by before another problem emerges."

Lucius and Narcissa smiled fondly, shaking their heads. It was true, after all.

Rhyian just couldn't seem to escape trouble.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: Fate's Hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Warnings and pairings: Refer to the previous chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**AN: I know that it has been a long time since I updated and I apologize for that. I have just emerged from a difficult family crisis and I have no other excuse for the late update but a complete lack of will to write or do anything constructive. **

**This chapter will be a little puzzling and Rhyian is deliberately out of character. He is going through a difficult phase that makes him very irritable and almost cruel at times. As always, I'll warn you that there are things in this chapter that don't comply with Stephenie Meyer's vision. There'll be many unanswered questions in this _long_ chapter that will be slowly answered in the upcoming chapters. **

**For now, please enjoy.**

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* * *

**

Edward was rattled, that much was obvious to Rosalie and Emmett. The tension between Rhyian and their brother baffled them but neither of them where the kind of people who would pry.

That was Alice's forte.

That didn't stop them from being worried. They frequently exchanged concerned glances, knowing that _somehow_ that Edward's relationship with Rhyian was different. Edward felt something more than mere protectiveness.

They drove to the school in tense silence but Rhyian seemed relaxed. He was leaning against his seat casually and observing the passing scenery with bored eyes. He didn't acknowledge any of their probing stares nor did he acknowledge Edward's stiff form.

The quirk of his lips was enough to let them know that he was amused.

That he was _toying_ with them.

Edward drove smoothly, yet at a speed that would have reduced anyone to fearful tremors. His hands were clutching onto the steering wheel with forcefully restrained strength, while his dark eyes glanced at Rhyian occasionally.

"Eyes on the road." Rhyian drawled, "I have no intention of getting involved in another accident."

Edward's gaze flickered towards him, "Not going to happen."

"At the speed you are going, it's very likely."

The vampire scoffed, "Are you scared?" he asked, taking a sharp, reckless turn.

Rhyian chuckled, resting his cheek on his palm and observing Edward in amusement. "My Edward, that was almost petulant." He arched a brow mockingly, "Grasping at straws?"

Edward narrowed his eyes, "I'll find out." He promised, "Whatever game you are playing, I'll find its rules." He looked into Rhyian's eyes, "And I'll win."

"Edward!" Rosalie snapped, partly worried and partly annoyed. What would Rhyian think of them? What was Edward accusing Rhyian of?

Rhyian smirked and looked away, gazing at the approaching school with a smile, "I look forward to it." He glanced at the vampire and smiled an innocently seductive smile, tempting and inviting Edward to do his best. "Prove yourself worthy to me, Edward." He purred, guided by some unknown instinct, leaning forward to whisper against the vampire's ear, "And you'll be rewarded." Edward tensed, smoothly parking the car, aware of Rosalie and Emmett's stunned stares.

Chuckling, Rhyian climbed out of the car, his grace slightly hampered by his injuries. "I wonder if I should be relieved or upset to be out of the car." He murmured, his voice light and playful. He didn't acknowledge Rosalie and Emmett's speculative glances. However he had to suppress the slight spark of pleasure that went through him when Edward stepped out of the car and grasping his elbow in a rather possessive manner. He didn't need to see to know that Edward was glaring at the crowd that was looking at him, hungry for gossip.

Rhyian had been a topic of speculation ever since the accident. Tyler and Bella had done an excellent job letting everyone know about Rhyian's wounds and his _heroic _deeds.

He allowed the touch when a low growl landed on his sensitive ears. There was something very different about Edward's demeanor. Something forceful and dark that excited Rhyian. He itched to provoke the vampire. He wanted to see that poise and resolve break, to see Edward fully accept what he was.

Vampires were dark creatures after all… and for them to pretend to be humans and live such docile lives seemed almost like a personal insult to him.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he glanced at Edward and concealed a smirk. It would be entertaining enough coerce these vampires to accept their nature and learn to take pride in it. It would occupy his time well and make life in Forks a little less boring.

Besides, it irked him to see Edward living such a caged life. Being a vampire wasn't a curse unless you wanted it to be and Edward was doing just that.

"Still think you are ready for school?" Emmett asked Rhyian teasingly.

The Lamia scoffed, tilting his head backwards and looking at the school population that was observing him. "As long as they maintain their distance, I can cope." He murmured, closing his eyes warily, "It isn't as though I am not used to it."

Edward glanced at him with a frown. "We can still take you back home."

Rhyian shook his head, his eyes narrowing before he combed his fingers through his hair, his expression blank and his posture straight. "It is not in my nature to be frightened of sheep." He said smoothly, mimicking his father's regal manner. He easily shrugged off Edward's grasp on his arm and walked away, "Thanks for the lift." He murmured before smirking slyly at the vampire's, "And for the entertainment."

Edward scowled as Rhyian disappeared amongst the crowd while Rosalie frowned at him. "What was that all about, Edward?"

"There's something about him, Rose." He whispered, "He looks at me as though he is disappointed with what he sees." He confessed, much to the confusion of his siblings, "He keeps challenging me with his eyes, making me feel inadequate and inferior." Edward frowned and rubbed his upper arm in an uncharacteristically nervous gesture, "There is something more going on here, Rosalie and I feel as though I am biting off more than I can chew."

"We have never encountered anyone like him." Alice said as she walked towards them with Jasper. "Carlisle is doing some research and contacting his acquaintances to find out more." The empath frowned at Edward, "Whatever he is, he seems to be affecting you more than he affects anyone of us." He glanced at Alice with a raised brow, "I think we must revise our theory. You seem to have forgotten Swan."

Edward closed his eyes and scoffed, "Wouldn't you want to forget a demon when you meet an _angel?_" He stilled, his eyes widening at the slip of tongue. He bit down on his tongue harshly and looked at Jasper, who was watching him with a calculating expression on his face.

"I caution you to be particularly careful, Edward." Jasper whispered while Alice, Rosalie and Emmett looked at him with concerned frowns on their faces. "Rhyian could very well prove to be more dangerous to you than Bella Swan ever was."

"And what can I do about it?" Edward asked in frustration, "With Swan, I can find the strength to pull away and leave but with Rhyian it is impossible."

Jasper nodded, "I know. We must still be careful."

Edward turned away from his siblings, his eyes instinctively finding Rhyian.

The younger boy was ignoring the glances that were directed at him as he leaned against a wall a spoke to someone on the phone.

Edward ached to find out more. There was this desperate urge within him unravel Rhyian.

"Edward." Alice's calm voice broke him out of his musings. Her small hand landed on his arm gently as she frowned at him. "Stop thinking about it so much. There is only so much you can do." She glanced at the object of their conversation with a frown, "He's keeping us at arm's length. It's obvious that Rhyian wants little to do with us."

Edward concealed a slight wince and nodded.

"That, in some ways, proves that he doesn't intend to harm us until we provoke him." Jasper stated logically, "As much as we can, we must keep our distance."

Edward snorted, "Keep our distance." He muttered mockingly as he eyed Bella, who was approaching Rhyian with a blush on her pale skin with dark, disdainful eyes, "Nothing could be more difficult."

His siblings exchanged worried glances.

* * *

"I got your message." Draco said as soon as Rhyian answered his phone. "I researched as much as I could about the dealings between the Lamia and ordinary vampires… especially, muggle vampires." The Malfoy sounded serious, "As a rule, it seems that Lamia don't involve themselves with muggle-vampires. I thought I had reached a dead-end of some sort."

"So you found nothing?" Rhyian asked, "Nothing so as to why I'm reacting to Edward Cullen?"

"I didn't say that." Draco responded, "It seemed that I was out of luck when Blaise noticed what I was researching."

Rhyian instantly connected the dots, "Mr. Amadeus Zabini." He murmured, "The expert in Magical beings especially Lamia and Elves and Blaise's uncle."

"How do you know such things straight away?" Malfoy asked in a befuddled voice, "I swear you've some sort of sixth sense!"

The young Riddle scoffed, "Nonsense." He narrowed his eyes, "I hope you were discreet this time, Draco. I really don't need more trouble."

"Don't worry." Draco assured, "Nothing of that sort. He thinks I encountered a muggle vampire, that's all." He explained, "I spoke to Mr. Zabini personally and even borrowed certain books from him. I've sent the copies to you through muggle mail just like you taught me to." Rhyian nodded absently. "As for that Cullen person, I suggest you be careful." Draco warned, "I overheard our parents discussing it. They think your maturity is coming on earlier than we imagined."

Rhyian hissed, slipping into Parseltongue instinctively. "What else?" He asked in English.

"According to Mr. Zabini, a careful study of Lamia suggests that all Vampires have originated from our species although they are somewhat deficient." The Slytherin heir smirked at the word. It was just like Draco to be so condescending. "However, there is one aspect that seems to bother our species whenever we come in contact with the vampires. We can't resist adopting them, it seems."

"Adopting them?" Rhyian asked incredulously, the very idea sounding ridiculous to him.

Draco snorted, "Believe me, I was surprised as well. Mr. Zabini has many documented evidences confirming it. You told me that something about Edward Cullen irritated you, right?" Rhyian hummed in agreement, noticing that Bella Swan was approaching him. "Anyways, he said that it's possible that you're sensing that this Cullen is troubled and want to offer assistance. I'm told that our need to help them is just as potent as their need to care for us. Lamia are the Lords of the Dark. We feel the need to protect all manner of Dark Creatures but Vampires effect us most of all."

Rhyian frowned, "This promises to be very complicated." He frowned, "Draco, we'll discuss this later. Where are you right now?"

"On an excursion from the Muggle studies department to observe muggles in their world." Draco murmured petulantly, "The only advantage of this is that I could call you using this phone thing you gave me… It's rather convenient, I must say."

Rhyian chuckled, "Careful cousin, next thing you'll say is that muggles aren't useless after all. If that happens, I'll have to suppose that someone has kidnapped my little Draco and replaced him with a cheap copy."

Draco scoffed, "You're being ridiculous."

The young Riddle glanced at the nervous-seeming Bella standing a little away from him, looking at him imploringly. "I've to go now, Dray." He murmured, "Please keep an eye on Hermione and Ron for me? Make sure they stay out of trouble."

The Malfoy grumbled, "Don't I always." He asked petulantly, "Because of you, we're actually on first name basis."

Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "Don't be too obvious." He warned, "I'm out. Take care." He murmured before ending the call and looking at Bella, "Ms. Swan, how may I assist you?" he asked, his voice polite and cultured but his expression impassive and unwelcoming.

Bella flushed, turning her head away, "I wanted you ask how you are feeling?" she looked at her wounds with a guilty wince, "You seem to be moving about well…"

"Indeed." Rhyian drawled, "Are you planning on getting involved in more trouble, Ms, Swan? For this time, I am forbidden from assisting you."

She shot him a slightly irritated glare that almost reminded him of Hermione for an instant. "I didn't do it on purpose." She hissed, her lips thin with disapproval.

"One wonders." Rhyian murmured before walking towards the entrance, "Was it really necessary to popularize my involvement in that incident?" he asked in irritation, "I'd rather not be labeled as a hero."

He could feel Bella pause and look at him, "I get that you aren't exactly fond of me." She stated finally and Rhyian didn't bother to contradict, looking at her impassively. "I just wanted to know if you were feeling better."

Now Rhyian felt as though he had just kicked a little puppy.

He resisted the urge to sigh and nodded, "I do feel better, I appreciate your concern." He replied formally, "And I'd appreciate it even more if you stop pouting and making me feel like an arse."

Bella giggled, looking at him with a soft smile that honestly made Rhyian feel _very_ uncomfortable. "That wasn't my intention."

Rhyian nodded before turning with the intention of walking away.

"Wait!"

The young Riddle sighed, "Ms. Swan, if you are aware that I'm not fond of you, why do you persist in bothering me?"

Bella winced, looking at him with slightly wide, pained eyes. Rhyian felt a bit guilty at his harsh words but he remembered his father's conversation with Severus. He was well aware that Bella Swan could form an attachment to him and that's the last thing he wanted.

Things would get very complicated if Bella took too deep an interest in him.

He already had the Cullens to deal with after all.

"Some friends and I are going to La Push… a reservation. I've heard that it's a very beautiful place. Since you're new to this town, I thought that you'd like to come…" Bella trailed off uncertainly, looking at Rhyian's unreadable expression with a concerned frown.

"Ms. Swa-"

"Bella." She interrupted insistently.

Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "_Bella,_" he repeated in irritation, "I'll be perfectly honest with you. I am here for only a year and I've no intention of making friends." He explained.

Bella shook her head stubbornly, "That doesn't mean that you _can't_ make friends, Rhyian. Even when you go away, we can keep in contact through phone and internet, can't we? That's not an unusual thing at all!"

Rhyian opened his mouth to argue but Bella persisted, "Moreover, a year's a long time. What would do after school? My father tells me that you're here alone, with only a butler and that your family is in the UK. You'll get bored without friends and you'll be lonely."

Rhyian snapped his mouth shut, his lips drawing into a thin line as he tried to resist the urge of hexing her. "Ms. Swa-"

"_Bella!_" she insisted stubbornly, much to Rhyian's annoyance.

"_Ms. Swan._" Rhyian persisted, "Maybe, I haven't made myself perfectly clear…" he drawled in an icy voice, "I've no interest in making friends."

Bella crossed her arms, "And maybe I haven't made my intentions clear enough." She replied, "I have every intention of _forcing _you to."

Rhyian's eyes widened and Bella grabbed his arm and dragged him into the school, chattering with him pleasantly. No one amongst peers, not even Hermione and Ron had ever dared to _command_ him.

He wasn't the Dark Lord's son for nothing.

He narrowed his eyes at the slip of a girl who was dragging him along, unconcerned with the probing stares of other high-school students. The situation could get very complicated, very fast.

From his observations, he was certain that the Swan girl was Edward Cullen's singer. The tense manner in which Edward acted around her, and the way his eyes darkened when she was within sensing range told him every thing.

Over the past few days, he had taken time to understand every Cullen he came across, especially Edward. He was on the same path that most good vampires chose when they encountered a singer.

He was trying to manipulate his instincts to accept Swan as his mate.

He would have succeeded and no doubt, caused a lot of trouble for everyone involved had it not been for Rhyian's presence.

Rhyian was well aware that he suppressed Edward's bloodlust. He made it possible for Edward to ignore the Singer's presence. It almost seemed like providence that he came to Forks Edward when was facing a life-changing decision.

Had Rhyian not arrived on time, Edward would have belonged to Bella Swan.

Suddenly, he felt something hot and reckless burning in his veins, making his fingers twitch and tingle with magic.

He kept his icy green eyes focused on the back of Bella Swan's head. The thought of someone so immature and undeserving having the gift of Darkness in the form of Vampire venom was intolerable. Even more unacceptable was the thought of Edward mating someone… someone he didn't approve of-

Rhyian paused in his thoughts, well aware that he was close to letting his magic escape his control. He looked down at the pale hand that was on his wrist with a frown.

Despite being the Dark Lord's son, in his heart of hearts, Rhyian was a true Gentleman. He had inherited none of his father's callous and uncontrollable temper nor did he inherit his father's ability to be deliberately cruel.

He could have easily broken her weak grip as he had done with Edward. He could have just as easily refused to comply with her demands, using his biting wit to reduce her to tears.

However, the mere thought of a woman crying because of him was enough make him cringe.

Of course, it wouldn't stop him completely if Bella did something really stupid and provoked him.

She had better stay away from Ed-

Rhyian paused, blinking slowly. "Ms. Swan." He stated abruptly, "This silliness must cease." When she frowned, he shook his head, "If I agree to accompany you on this little trip, will you leave me be? I find it irritating to be dragged around like a lost child."

Her pale face broke out into a triumphant smile but he ignored it. Suddenly, he was very eager to leave school and go home so he could meditate.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he glanced at the Cullens. All of them seemed to be talking casually to each other but Edward's unnatural, angry eyes where focused on Bella.

Rhyian stilled and narrowed his eyes, turning his head to meet the vampire's stunning golden gaze. Slowly, he arched a brow, silently questioning the boy.

Edward glanced at Bella, his eyes almost spitting possessive fury.

Bella was Edward's singer but that didn't warrant such a glare, especially when Rhyian's scent was present in the air, calming the vampire.

It was obvious that he was missing something.

Lowering his head a little, he focused his eyes on Edward, willing the vampire to look at him. "_Calm, Edward._" He commanded softly when the vampire's eyes started to darken visibly.

Edward stilled abruptly, his eyes snapping toward Rhyian in silent alarm.

The Slytherin heir remained impassive, looking at Edward with disapproval. He was well aware that he had slipped. The distance separating them was great and it was ridiculous to assume that anyone but a creature of superior senses could have heard his whispered command.

Bella was looking at him in confusion, her uncertain gaze traveling from him to Edward. There was a rather becoming blush on her face that Rhyian positively loathed. The scent of her blood rising underneath her skin had gotten Edward's attention once again. He could see the powerful body tense and coil, ready to hunt.

He let out a sharp hiss, feeling his entire being flood with concern for Edward. Jasper Cullen seemed to understand the situation instantly. Carefully, he placed his hand on Edward's arm. It was obvious that the blonde-haired vampire's grip was strong enough to delay Edward if he did choose to attack.

The Lamia closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to control his own warring instincts. Carefully, he stepped away from Bella, removing her hand from his arm. Deliberately, he took another step away, watching keenly as Edward relaxed slightly, his eyes slowly regaining their golden hue.

'_Something is going on here…_' he thought to himself, looking at the object of his concern with a frown, '_Edward is feeling possessive of Bella? Or is it me?_'

The vampires were looking at his expressionless face in alarm. "You really have a knack for trouble, don't you?" Rhyian whispered, glancing at Bella, "To attract the attention of a being so superior to you..."

Edward tensed.

"Rhyian?" Bella asked with a frown, glancing at Edward uncertainly.

"I will accompany you to La Push, Ms. Swan." He watched at the vampires stilled, seeming surprised and uneasy by his announcement. "But only this once." He warned, "I won't be so lenient if you force me to do something against my wishes again."

Bella smiled at him, "Just this once. Think of it as a thank you. You have been through a lot of trouble for me."

Rhyian looked at her, unimpressed, before walking away.

Bella stayed still at the spot where Rhyian had left her, looking at the unusual and graceful boy. She had never met anyone who was so curt and yet sounded so regal and polite.

Rhyian Riddle stood out in crowds, possibly more than the Cullens did. There was just this… this dreamlike, otherworldly aura around Rhyian that even the Cullens lacked. Edward had always emitted a sort of dark despair… a decay of life in some ways. But, Rhyian was different, his darkness was elegant, flowing and regal and somehow, very pure.

Rhyian faci-

"Bella!"

The girl started at the voice, looking around only to spot Jessica waving at her cheerfully.

With a sigh, she waved back, shaking her head to dispel her odd thoughts. She hoped that Rhyian would keep his promise.

**

* * *

  
**

By lunch time, Rhyian was beyond frustrated. He was very tempted to use his father's second favorite Unforgivable, the _Cruciatus _curse without restraint on the intensely stupid population of students that surrounded him.

Frighteningly, the urge was rather potent and Dark magic was dancing at his fingertips, just waiting to be unleashed. Its influence was heady, tempting him to unleash the full force of his wrath on innocents whose only crime was to irritate him.

The day was taking a nosedive for him. His body was aching from the strain, the pain from his wounds increasing by the minute, and making his head pound. His magic was itching to be released, his control so precarious that it would take very little for him to lose it.

Never had he felt so vulnerable. It was rare for his wounds to take so much time to heal but Severus had warned him that the Slashing Hex that Rockwell had used was a potent Dark spell. Its after-effects lasted for weeks, if not months.

To be injured so soon after that curse was a mistake that he was now regretting.

Judging from the concerned stare he could feel on the back of his neck, he was aware that Jasper Cullen had sensed his discomfort.

An empath was more dangerous to him than a telepath simply because his Occlumency skills didn't help him hide his feelings as effectively as it hid his thoughts. Unlike his father, Rhyian felt things deeply and keenly. When he was angry or upset, the very air about him was stained by it.

Frowning slightly, he decided to distract himself. A book would do nicely.

He disregarded the cafeteria food with nary a glance before settling on a chair gracefully.

With a thoughtful look on his face, he traced the over of his book, "Snape's guide to Obscure Potions." He whispered to himself, smirking faintly. It was an interesting book. It was detailed and precise but his godfather's acerbic wit made it all the more entertaining. Sarcasm seemed to drip from every sentence.

At one point of time, he would have despised reading even a single sentence of the book. However, now that he had come to understand and appreciate Snape's wit, he found the book to be unusually engaging.

Smirking fondly at the thought of his sarcastic godfather, he turned to the bookmarked page and started to reading, his magic slowly settling down as his agitation calmed.

He was engrossed in his book but not enough to ignore people that were approaching him. His long fingers tightened as he narrowed his eyes, gazing sharply at Bella Swan's shy features. '_Is she stalking me?_' he wondered to himself, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

His eyes flickered towards her companions with a frown. It seemed that one of her friends was dragging her towards him.

He felt a spike of irritation travel down his spine as his magic once again became unsettled, dancing enticingly at his fingertips.

'_Dear Merlin… eight people. What a crowd._' He thought in disgust as the eight sat down at his table and around him. All of them sported friendly, innocent grins but Rhyian was distinctly uncomfortable.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Edward frown, his expression taking on a distinctly protective edge. The vampire was just about to rise from his seat when Alice stopped him.

"You didn't have to sit alone you know? You could've joined us." A boy addressed him, "I'm Mike Newton, by the way. Nice to meet the local hero."

Rhyian concealed a wince. "I'm nothing of that sort." He glanced at Bella with a disapproving frown, "Miss. Swan, I see you have brought your friends with you this time."

Bella sighed, knowing that he wasn't pleased.

"I'm Jessica Stanley. You were sitting alone and reading a book, we thought you were bored and decided to join you."

Rhyian arched a brow, "If I was reading then why would I be bored, Miss. Stanley."

The girl frowned at his formal way of address, "You can call me Jessica, you know."

"I'd rather not, but thank you." He stated bluntly, flipping open his book and ignoring them.

"So you are friends with the Cullens now?" A girl who introduced herself as Lauren Mallory asked.

Rhyian paused and looked up at the speaker, noting the tone of mild envy in the girl's voice. "We are acquainted, yes." He answered, "Dr. Cullen was the one who treated my injuries."

"We saw you coming to school together with Edward, Rosalie and Emmett." She leaned forward, "So the resident Ice-queen Rosalie Hale has taken a shine to you, I see."

Rhyian stiffened at the slight against Rosalie, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Lauren. "She seems to be as fond of me as I am of her, yes." He answered. "What of it?"

"It's nothing." Jessica interrupted hurriedly, unwilling to offend him. "The Cullens aren't exactly social."

"And that bothers you?" The Dark Lord's heir asked. "I can see why, you don't believe in giving people space, do you?" he asked archly.

Bella winced, "Nothing like that, Rhyian. We're just curious, that's all."

Rhyian snapped his book shut, his lips curling in disgust. It was apparent that he wouldn't be able to read. "And curiosity dooms idiots and wise alike." He whispered, his keen ears picking up Edward's soft chuckle, "Be they mortal or immortal."

That shut the vampire up quick.

'_I'm being very naughty._' Rhyian thought with a frown, '_Provoking him thoughtlessly. Sooner or later, he'll start to demand answers and I'll be in a fix._'

"Ever since they moved here, they have ignored everyone." Jessica informed, interrupting his thoughts. "I guess we aren't good enough for them."

Rhyian snorted before leveling a keen stare are Jessica, "This is very amusing." He stated, lacing his fingers in front of his smirking lips, "What makes you so certain that I'm interested in this hogwash?"

"Hey, no need to be nasty." Mike stated with a frown.

"The Cullens are odd." Lauren said, glancing at the object of their conversation discreetly. "Rosalie and Emmett are together you know, so are Jasper and Alice." She frowned in disapproval, "They live in the same house… they can almost be considered siblings."

Jessica nodded, "And Mrs. Cullen… I heard that she can't have children."

Rhyian glanced at the Cullen siblings, watching as they tensed. He then turned and raised a brow at Bella when she cringed at the callousness of her friends. She somehow understood that Rhyian was above such petty gossip.

"Hm." He murmured uncaringly, "Mothers are mothers." He stated impassively, sending Jessica an unimpressed glance, "Whether their children are of their own blood or not."

Lauren frowned, "Still, their situation is a little unusual."

"Unbelievable." Rhyian whispered in slight disbelief, "Why am I even listening to this nonsense?" he asked to himself while the two gossiping girls looked at him in confusion. "What makes you think that I'm the slightest bit interested in the personal lives of the Cullens or anyone else in this little town, for that matter?"

"You are their friend, aren't you?" Jessica asked.

"Ms. Stanley, I have not been taught to gossip so forgive me if I fail to be impressed by it." He stated regally, "When I accept friends, I accept them _as they are_. I don't like pretenses or falsehoods. Such things annoy me." He kept his piercing green eyes on her, "If I have accepted the Cullens as my friends, I have accepted everything about them, including the uniqueness of their family."

"They aren't that bad." Bella said, gathering her courage. "Edward spoke to me a few times. I think they are just not used to interacting with strangers…"

"I think we should stop talking about the Cullens." Angela Weber said softly, looking at Rhyian's still, impassive features. Their new acquaintance was getting increasingly annoyed with them, that much was obvious.

"I concur." Rhyian stated when Lauren opened her mouth to object, "In fact, I'd prefer if you lot don't speak at all unless you have something intelligent to say."

They seemed to flinch in sync and it was mildly amusing to witness such a thing. He tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table, watching his companions squirm in discomfort with a smirk. Muggles were so easily enchanted by magical beings, always itching to impress them, to be in their company and have the privilege of talking to them.

Muggles were the most vulnerable of humanoid species that existed on earth. They were powerful in their own right, their minds so superior in some ways that even the brightest amongst the elves and lamia couldn't comprehend it.

Nature was never unjust. Muggles had many disadvantages, their race was the weakest amongst all but they were the most progressive and the most populous. That made them powerful in ways that the lamia and the elves, both considered to be nature's supreme beings, were not.

Rhyian rather likened them to children who were involved in their own little world, ignorant of the larger picture.

"If you are such a great friend of theirs, why aren't you sitting with them?" Lauren asked snidely.

There was a long pause during which Rhyian observed the muggles steadily, his stunning eyes peaking over his spectacles to pin them with an unnerving stare. "I believe I'll go outside for some air." He whispered as he stood, "I haven't recovered enough to stand this…" he paused, narrowing his eyes at Bella's guilty face, "This _liveliness._"

"You can sit with us if you wish." Edward offered softly as he passed by the vampires' table, aware that the entire cafeteria was following him with their eyes.

The lamia smiled, "Tomorrow, I definitely will. It seems like sitting alone is considered to be an invitation here." Rhyian was swift to leave after that, but he left behind a stunned silence.

"Geez…" Newton broke the silence, ruffling his hair in irritation, "I feel like an idiot, somehow." He confessed.

Angela nodded, "You're not the only one." She whispered, "I almost feel insignificant."

"Rhyian doesn't mean that." Bella assured, smiling tentatively, "He likes to be curt and all… like his father but he's just trying to put on a face. He's actually very kind."

"That boy is just like the Cullens!" Lauren argued, crossed her arms stubbornly but Jessica looked uncertain.

"Well, you certainly chased him away." Eric stated with a frown, "Man, he was looking at us as though _ants_ would impress him more than we did."

Angela nodded, "He's seems smart and very mature. Talking like that would only make him dislike us."

"We weren't lying!" Jessica defended herself, "It not as though we are making stuff up! We told him the truth."

"We were talking about something that was not our business!" Bella said in frustration. "All of you said that you wanted to be friends with him and that's why I agreed to ask him to come with us to La Push."

That was the first time Bella had ever raised her voice. They all looked stunned, looking at her with wide eyes.

Rosalie glanced over at the commotion and scoffed, "Please, we have known what you whisper about us behind our backs ever since we stepped foot here." She spared them a condescending glance, "Such gossip doesn't induce us to initiate friendships, does it?"

Majority of the students in the cafeteria flushed guiltily.

The beautiful vampire shrugged elegantly, looking at her nails. "If I know Rhyian, which I do," she smirked smugly at that, "He doesn't tolerate any sort of prejudice. I believe, you have sunken quite low in his opinion."

"Rosie." Jasper warned his impulsive sister softly, placing a hand on her arm.

Edward on the other hand was smirking at Rosalie. They bonded rather unexpectedly over their mutual protectiveness of Rhyian.

Alice smiled suddenly, "Don't you find it interesting that the most mysterious boy we have ever encountered goes by the name of Rhyian _Riddle?_" she giggled.

His mate's mirth made Jasper smile through the discomfort that was already assaulting him. Rhyian's presence was like a soothing balm to his senses. When he was there, close by, the scent of humans was negligible. When he was out of his senses, Jasper always experienced a brief moment of panic alongside his siblings and Alice. Whenever the boy was angry, sad or hurt, Jasper felt it in his veins.

It was so potent, the presence of Rhyian Riddle. And he didn't feel it half as intensely as Edward did.

Uncharacteristically, Emmett didn't participate in their banter as they stood to leave the cafeteria. He had a grave frown on his face, "The little prince was _seething_ even before the conversation took place. Something is obviously bothering him."

Edward sobered instantly, sharing a look with Jasper. "I could _feel_ it. I could feel it as though I was him. There was something burning and surging underneath his skin and he was desperately trying to hold it back." Edward tried to explain, running his fingers through his hair, "Something beautiful and powerful was humming, ready to be unleashed at his command."

Rosalie frowned, "What are you talking about Edward? You're making no sense."

"He's making sense; _we_ are not able to understand him." Alice said, closing her eyes and frowning. "We already know that there is something off about Rhyian. He knows that we aren't human. I'm certain of it."

Edward nodded, "Its like an open-secret. Although we know that he's hiding something, that he knows something about us, we can't confront him about it."

"We need to talk to Carlisle." Jasper whispered before looking at Edward, "Do you think you should leave for a while? For a week or two?"

"No." Alice objected immediately. "Edward can't leave. Besides, dad has some information for us."

Alice knew that she couldn't allow Edward to run. Fate had planned something for him. Both Bella and Rhyian were influencing her brother too much to ignore. What Edward chose at to do at this vital time would affect him deeply and Alice would do everything to ensure that Edward was safe and happy.

She wasn't so sure about Bella, though. She knew that had it not been for Rhyian, Bella would have been a part of their family. Both she and Carlisle had discussed the possibility of Edward taking Bella as his mate.

"I wasn't!" Edward protested immediately when he glimpsed at Alice's thoughts.

The small vampire shook her head, "No. You would've, if it weren't for Rhyian. You had no other choice. Singers have a very powerful influence on vampires." She looked at her brother penetratingly, "If you leave now, many questions will remain unanswered."

"Did you see anything, Alice?" Emmett asked seriously, leaning forward in concern.

Alice shook her head, "I can see him in my visions but nothing important. Every time I try to look for something important or informative, I end up seeing him doing something as mundane as reading."

"There must be something." Rosalie whispered, "Edward can't read his thoughts but seems to sense and understand him better than Jasper can. Jasper can understand his emotions but has difficulty deciphering them and Alice can't see anything of value in her visions."

Jasper frowned, "It's almost like someone is deliberately trying to protect him from our powers."

Alice sighed before shaking her head. "Time's up. We need to get to class or we'll be late."

Edward and Rosalie rolled their eyes while Jasper chuckled softly.

"Sometimes, I wonder why we put ourselves through it." Edward murmured, "I don't see Aro or his lackeys attending school over and over again. That Dark-Overlord impersonator gets to lounge in a beautiful castle Italy while we suffer from the stupidity of human high-school children. "

Emmett snorted before wrapping an arm around Edward's shoulder with a grin, "Fear not, brother. Our time will soon come. We shall have our own dark, brooding castle and a harem of a thousand beautiful women each."

Rosalie cuffed him, not even bothering to be gentle while Edward directed a quirky smirk at his most beautiful sister. "A thousand beautiful women wouldn't be able to compare to the _one_ you already have, Emmett."

The blonde vampire's eyes softened at Edward's compliment even as she scoffed, "Suck up."

"Come now, my dearest sister…" Edward smirked, leaning forward to look into her eyes, "Don't act as though you dislike being complimented by me."

Jasper chuckled before wrapping his arm around Rosalie and Alice and pushing them gently forward. "Come on guys. We're getting late."

Few students were lingering about as the Cullens hurried towards their classes. Rhyian already seemed to have disappeared from their senses and frankly, that worried Edward.

Ever since he had encountered the boy, he had kept Rhyian in his sight or senses as much as possible without grossly invading his privacy. While he felt that his behavior was disturbingly akin to that of a stalker, he knew somehow that Rhyian's father had entrusted them with his safety.

Mr. Riddle knew something. There was a reason why the obviously powerful man had all but commanded them to take care of Rhyian.

'_My son is precious to me, Dr. Cullen. I hope you and your children realize that._'

There was no mistaking the true meaning underlying that sentence. Mr. Riddle had _expected_ them to protect Rhyian.

"Alice, you said something about Carlisle having some information for us?" Edward asked softly, pausing to look at her.

The Seer nodded, "Yes. He's expecting a call."

Jasper raised a brow, "From whom? About what?"

Alice shook her head, "I have a feeling that its best to wait for the answers. I'm not focusing on it."

Edward met her stubborn eyes and nodded. If she felt that they needed to wait than he respected her wishes. Alice would never lead them astray.

**

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Rhyian loved magic. He absolutely adored it for all its brilliance and usefulness.

It hadn't always been the case. Magic made him special; it gave him powers that very few had.

It made him the little freak of Privet Drive.

He disliked that power that he could faintly sense as a child. That _abnormality _made him different and unlovable and because of that, he hated it.

When he came to Hogwarts, he started cherishing magic for a while. After all, it was the reason why he was in that wonderful, enchanting place called Hogwarts. It was the reason why he had friends, why he found a place to belong.

That changed once again when he found that the Magical World was becoming less _magical _as days went on.

The constant attention, the fickleness of his acquaintances, the shady behavior of the government and the secretive manners of Dumbledore wore him down.

Magic became a burden once again.

Then he met his father.

For Tom Riddle magic was the very essence of his being. His father lived and breathed magic, cherishing it, exploring it, studying it and respecting it.

His father taught him the real beauty of unrestrained magic. He believed in no distinction. Rhyian was taught to respect both sides of magic, both sides of nature. He was taught to accept his lamia nature and immerse himself in the pool of ambient magic, rejoicing in his union with _Nature_ herself.

But this free, unrestrained magic was hard to control, it was playful and mischievous and at the same time, it was dangerous and powerful. It reacted to his frustrations with fierce protectiveness, ready to spring forth and defend him against anything that could conceivably unsettle him.

And it was acting up.

His magic had been acting up ever since his wound started distressing him. There was something wrong, that much was obvious. He had noticed while Henry was wrapping the wound in the morning that it had actually _expanded_. His butler, thankfully, had not noticed it but he did. Moreover, it itched something terrible, making him feel miserable all day.

"Mr. Riddle, you seem flushed." Rhyian looked up, frowning when he noticed that the entire class was concentrating on him. The rather fetching flush on his face and the slightly wide, beautiful green eyes caused many girls to sigh while the teacher walked forward in concern, "We were informed that you may experience some discomfort. Do you want to go to the nurse's office?"

The lamia shook his head, "No ma'am." He murmured and straightened his posture, "Forgive me for disturbing the class but I feel alright. Nothing to warrant much concern."

She frowned, looking at him with narrowed eyes but Rhyian knew that Mrs. Mitchell liked him and considered him to be honest and well-behaved. "Okay. Let me know if you feel bad, alright? You don't need to strain yourself if you aren't feeling well."

"I understand, ma'am."

She smiled at him before going back to the lesson while Rhyian closed his eyes to collect himself. This was his last class for the day before he could go home and he was just itching to be there.

Rhyian never had the patience to deal with uncertainties. When Draco told him that he'd be facing an early on-set of maturity, he had not idea what he'd be dealing with but he knew one thing.

He was in for a _very_ rough ride.

With a suppressed groan, he turned his attention towards the teacher, trying and failing to ignore the constant buzz of magic underneath his skin.

At that very instant, his day got worse.

A soft, coaxing aroma reached his increasingly sensitive nose, making him twitch and hold onto his desk in a white-knuckled grip. The scent was beautiful, a seductive fragrance that made his entire body tense and shudder with want.

Involuntarily, he closed his eyes, breathing in the scent, letting its call embrace him as he tried to identify it.

"_Blood._" His instincts whispered to him, recognizing the slightly familiar smell, "_Isabella Swan's blood._"

Rhyian's eyes snapped open, his body becoming rigid with dread.

Edward…

The lamia in him was rising, calculating and predatory. His intelligent eyes gleamed as he took in his surroundings. Firstly, he needed to get out of the class without anyone suspecting anything.

There was only one thing that could possibly distract Edward from the scent of his singer's blood.

_Rhyian._

It was a split second decision for him. His '_people's saving thing' _was raising its ugly head once again. He stood suddenly, pretending to sway, "Mrs. Mitchell…" he called out, his voice a little hoarse, "I think I should take your advice." He whispered.

The kind woman was instantly by his side, "Rhyian, your recovery will only slow down if you insist on straining yourself." She whispered, pressing her hand against her forehead, "You're pale." He turned to look at another boy, "Mr. Green, please escort Mr. Riddle to the nurse's office."

The tall and broad-shoulderd blond nodded, looking at Rhyian in concern. "Come on, buddy." He whispered but kept his hands to himself. He read Rhyian's warning glare correctly, knowing that the other boy didn't want help.

Jim Green stayed behind Rhyian but didn't touch him or try to offer support. It was obvious to the lamia that the boy was intelligent, "You're a pretty smart guy, one day of missing school wouldn't have damaged your career or something like that!"

Rhyian glanced at him from over his shoulder, raising a brow, "No, I decided to come because I _was_ feeling better."

Jim shook his head, "Whatever you say, buddy."

The lamia snorted, "You can go back to class." He looked into the boy's blue eyes, using a very mild, wandless compulsion charm to plant the suggestion in Jim's head. "I'll be well on my own."

Green frowned for a moment, resisting the spell for a brief while he nodded and turned away.

Rhyian didn't pause, knowing that he couldn't afford to waste more time. "If only this school had its own Marauder's map." He whispered to himself, heading towards the Nurse's office.

He hoped that the Cullens were able to drag Edward away from school but he had read many books that described just how irresistible a singer's blood was to a muggle vampire. The first logical place to look into would be the Nurse's office. If Bella was injured, it was possible that she went there.

"Emmett! I'm losing my grip on him!" Rosalie's panicked voice landed on his ear.

"Damn it Rosie! I can't hold Jasper _and_ Edward at the same time!"

Rhyian paused before walking forward calmly and turning around a corner.

The scene that greeted him wasn't pleasant. Bella was on the floor and it seemed that she had tripped over something and injured herself. Her wide, terrified eyes were focused on the vampires who were struggling.

Edward and Jasper were being held by Rosalie and Emmett respectively while Alice was trying to gain their attention. It was obvious that they had tired taking them away from Bella and hadn't managed to.

"Rhyian!" Alice gasped, her golden eyes snapping towards him.

"Alice." He greeted calmly before striding forward. "What's going on?"

Alice, Rosalie and Emmett exchanged panicked looks, knowing that they were trapped. Bella was trembling but her eyes were quickly flickering between Jasper and Edward. She suspected something, it was impossible not to, under the circumstances.

"Rhyian… we…" Rosalie started tentatively but paused when Edward snarled slightly, his unnatural black eyes focused on Bella.

The beautiful vampire was struggling to contain Edward.

"Let him go." Rhyian advised, "Just Edward, let him go."

Alice shook her head frantically, "No Rhyian, you don't-"

"Trust me. Let him go." He met Rosalie's eyes, nodding encouragingly.

"Don't be stupid!" Rosalie snapped, "You don't understand what we a-"

"And you don't know what _I_ am." Rhyian retorted calmly, raising his hand in invitation, "Edward will never hurt me or anyone else in my presence unless I _desire_ it." The lamia frowned slightly, wondering over the odd instinct that forced him to make such a ludicrous declaration.

He had no control over Edward's actions.

"Rhy… Rhyian?" Bella asked nervously, knowing that somehow, her life was at stake. Her frightened gaze landed on Edward who was glaring at her, raw hunger tainting his usually calm features.

Emmett gazed at Rhyian, understanding that somehow, Rhyian would be able to stop Edward. He looked at his wife and nodded to her, "Let go, Rose."

The blonde paused for a moment before reluctantly releasing her hold on Edward.

The telepath lurched forward, his movements but a blur. Edward was now close enough to see that Bella had a medium-sized gash on her forearm. Her blood was oozing forth, dark red and stunningly beautiful. The scent of it was like a drug and Edward couldn't resist it.

He crouched, ready to leap, his eyes dark and hungry.

Suddenly, he felt an explosion of pain, momentarily blinding and disorienting him.

Somebody cuffed him on the head, hard enough to send him crashing to the ground and clutching his head in pain.

"Idiot."

The single word, spoken in that alluring voice with that aristocratic accent, immediately brought Edward to his senses.

He watched with wide eyes as Rhyian Riddle glared down at him, observing his black eyes and pale features in slight disgust.

The vampires were staring at the boy in disbelief, unable to comprehend that Rhyian was able to send Edward crashing to the ground with a slight cuff to the head.

It was impossible. Even humans wouldn't be injured by such a blow.

"So little control." He whispered, causing Edward to flinch guiltily, "This is what you get when you think you can suppress a part that is so vital to you. Trying so hard to be _human…_" he hissed in disgust, "That you forget to take pride and respect your true nature, looking at it as a curse when it could very well be a blessing."

"You don't kn-" Edward whispered painfully.

"_You _don't know what you're talking about." Rhyian interrupted, before kneeling before the fallen vampire, observing his black eyes, "It is your inability to let go of your human past that makes you lose control every time. You are trying to suppress the instincts that you need to _master._ That is the reason why your race is so isolated. You're trying to be human when you aren't, when you shouldn't be. _Every single one of you_ makes the same mistake." He said forcefully, grasping Edward's chin. "_Humans_ aren't made for such things. They aren't made to be immortal. It is their _gift_, they have been blessed with mortality. You can't retain a human mind-set and expect suffer through immortality."

"I can't be a monster!" Edward denied vehemently.

"You fool." Rhyian hissed, "No one is asking you to! You know nothing! You're tormenting yourself with your human prejudices, thinking that you're a monster simply because you're a predator! Stumbling through the world as blind as a bloody bat! It is disgusting, your fear, your prejudice and your blindness! It is offending to see you be so pitiful and miserable when you have _no comprehension_ of Darkness."

Rhyian stood abruptly, pushing Edward away in disgust, "Vampires are the guardians of ambient energy, a bridge between the Supreme Beings of nature and the humans. You fail in your duties so spectacularly that it is a wonder that Nature has let you continue existing."

"Rhyian…" Alice stepped forward tentatively, her brows furrowing in confusion, "What're you talking about?"

The Dark Lord's heir took a deep breath, "Never you mind." He waved his hand dismissively, "You're not worth my time if you can't figure it out for yourself." He stalked forward, looking into Jasper's eyes, "Good thing that I came to school today, isn't it?" he commented absently. "Edward hasn't fully developed immunity against Swan's blood."

Bella whimpered, "What's going on?" she asked softly, flinched when everyone turned to look at her.

Rhyian sighed explosively, "Why the hell do you keep getting in trouble, girl?" he asked, reaching into his pocket and bringing out his wand. "And why the hell do I keep helping you?" he hissed in annoyance. "_Obliviate!_"

Bella's eyes glazed over as Rhyian frowned, concentrating on carefully removing her memories of the incident. Her mind was certainly unique with a natural talent for Occlumency. However, Obliviate was no ordinary spell. There were several versions of it that allowed a skilled enough wizard to alter anyone's memories.

While she was dazed, waved his wand to dispel the scent of her blood from the air before sending her off to the nurse's office to get her wound treated.

"What was that?" Alice whispered, her eyes narrowed as she noticed a sudden absence of Bella's scent.

"That is something that probably saved your hides." Rhyian retorted, "Bella won't remember anything of this incident and I suggest you be more careful to maintain your distance from her."

Emmett sighed as Jasper relaxed against him completely, his eyes closed and breathing even, "You've got a lot of explaining to do, little prince."

The Dark Lord's heir directed his piercing gaze towards Emmett, "Oh?" he asked with a raised brow, feeling the magic underneath his skin bristle at the demand, "Do I, Emmett? What makes you think I owe you anything?" he tilted his head to the side, his smirk razor-sharp, "Had I not assisted you, your little coven would've been in a great amount of trouble."

Emmett stilled, "Thank you for that. We appreciate it."

"Good." Rhyian whispered, his eyes narrowed, "Do not presume to demand anything of me, Cullen."

"You can't just leave us hanging." Edward said hoarsely, "You seem to know many things about us and yet we know nothing about you!"

"Figure it out, Edward." He replied, "I won't give you any answers. You don't deserve them until you figure out what you're doing wrong."

"You want us to become murders who feast on human blood?" Edward asked, enraged and disappointed.

Rhyian snorted, "Don't be so dramatic. What you feed on is your choice. Blood is blood." He shook his head, "You don't understand. I'm disappointed, Edward. I'm very, _very_ disappointed in you."

And he was. So very disappointed that it was nauseating. He wanted Edward to be _more._ He wanted Edward to accept himself for what he was. The sadness and the lack of self-esteem that he sensed in the vampire made something twist painfully within him.

_He_ couldn't accept Edward as an equal unless the vampire accepted his own nature. If Edward wasn't able to do that…

Rhyian would _never_ be able to accept him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: Fate's Hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Warnings and pairings: Refer to the previous chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**AN: Hoookay. Before we go any further, I'd like to say a few things. In this chapter, I totally deviate from canon of both fandoms. Still, things will start moving to a very different direction from this point on. I am introducing several alien concepts and ideas in this chapter that belong to neither fandoms. Some ideas are similar to those expressed in J.R.R Tolkien's works, particularly The Silmarillion that deals with the aspect of human mortality and the immortality of the Elves ingeniously. **

**Those who are particular about canon details, please bear with me. This fic was never particularly true to the canon, anyways. I have totally twisted it beyond recognition. **

**Twilight fans in particular, are warned. While I have read the Saga, I am not particularly fond of it. I am not pleased this certain individual who sent me a message saying that I didn't portray the Cullens properly and neither did I portray the human high-school companions of Bella correctly. **

**At that, I'd like to point out that I dislike stereotyping. Just because these are a bunch of high school children doesn't mean that they don't have personality. Who said that these children cannot be intelligent and wise in their own ways? This has bugged me for a while. **

**The Cullens are shown as super intelligent and every other human is portrayed as a stupid accessory to Bella. Does everyone seem to forget the fact that Cullens are much older and have gone through the education process quite a few times? Of course, they seem super intelligent, I'd be too if I went through high school a couple of dozen times. **

**As for the Cullens themselves… yes, Alice is not a constant hyper bunny. Yes, Rosalie is not always a bitch, yes, Emmett doesn't always pretend to be a big boy with a big empty space in his head and Jasper isn't constantly seeming constipated.**

**They have their own, varied, multi-layered personalities. **

**Similarly, Carlisle won't always be an angel wearing vampire skin nor will Edward be a creepy, depressed stalker. **

**Moreover, where I come from, children respect their parents and never dare to call them by their names. Considering how close I am to my parents, I find the amount of disrespect shown to parental figures in Twilight to be offending. So, yes, in my story, parents will be treated with the respect they deserve. I don't care that Bella calls her father Charlie in canon, in my story she'll be calling him "dad". **

**I am sorry for this long rant, but I had to point this out. **

**And those of you who are wondering about Rhyian and Edward's relationship, I see them sharing a fairly equal relationship in the future. However, even though it doesn't seem so now, Edward will be the sexually dominant of the pair.**

**Don't expect Rhyian to be a girl in a boy's skin though. That's not gonna happen.**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter and let me know how you felt about it. I have been agonizing over it a long time, trying to write and rewrite but something still feels off to me. Let me know if you find anything.**

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"Lucius!" His lord irritated brought him out of his musings.

The Malfoy Lord tensed, before bowing his head apologetically, "Forgive me, my lord."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, "Something is bothering you."

Lucius paused uncertainly, wondering whether it was wise to get his Lord involved in a family matter. However, he decided that Draco will most definitely involve his favorite cousin and through Rhyian, his lord would know.

"Narcissa is concerned over Draco's increasing fascination with Rhyian's muggleborn friend." He confessed, "It seems that his recent letters have expressed her rise in Draco's esteem."

"Hermione Granger." Voldemort murmured thoughtfully. "She's a rather fascinating girl."

Lucius nodded, "I have been studying the family tapestry ever since Narcissa brought this to my attention, my lord."

Voldemort tilted his head to the side in question, running his fingers through Nagini's spine caressingly. "Is it time, then?"

"Fortunately for Draco, yes." The Malfoy Lord replied. "We could've afforded to wait for a couple of generations but Ms. Granger is certainly very talented and powerful. She'll make a perfect addition to the clan."

"Indeed. This is the perfect time to introduce a First-blood to your clan, Lucius. If Draco starts courting a muggle-born with your permission, your credibility will grow as well." He smirked faintly, "And Rhyian will be pleased to have Hermione under his family's protection."

Lucius lips twitched into a faint smile, "Indeed. That boy is very kind, unfortunately."

"Is Narcissa agreeing to this?" The Dark Lord asked curiously.

"She was reluctant at first but Rhyian is so fond of Granger that she is considering it. She tells me that it would be wise to integrate Granger into our society and traditions. If she is to be a Malfoy bride, she needs to learn pureblood traditions."

Voldemort nodded, "That is if Draco manages to win her favor. She won't be easy to convince."

Lucius smirked, "No and frankly speaking my lord, Draco needs that's challenge. He gets everything he desires far too easily. Maybe it is wise for him to _earn_ the privilege of her hand."

The Dark Lord simply hummed, his gaze once again landing on the pensieve that his house-elves had unearthed.

"Forgive me for saying this, my lord, but you should look into those memories." Lucius whispered tentatively, "And send a copy of it to Rhyian. That, perhaps, will help bridge the lingering gap between the two of you."

Riddle closed his eyes, a sliver of regret marring his aristocratic features. "He still hasn't completely accepted me… and sending him away is only harming the tentative bonds I've managed to develop."

Lucius frowned, hesitant to offer any advice. He didn't wish to offend his master but if there was one thing that he knew better than his lord, it was parenting. Narcissa and he, thankfully, had a very warm and comfortable relationship with their son. "Rhyian respects you and trusts you, my lord." He whispered, "However, he is a good child… a fair child who doesn't tolerate injustice. He's not like us, sir. He is Dark, yes but there's a purity to his darkness. A beauty and innocence to it that will never be tainted. Thus conflict of interest between the two of you will always be there."

Voldemort looked at Lucius sharply, "Your words are offering me no comfort, Lucius."

"My lord, children develop their own personalities, ideals and goals as they grow… it doesn't mean that they stop loving their parents any less. It just means that their world no longer begins and ends with their parents. Rhyian calls you every night, without fail and you speak to him for at least an hour. What does it say about the bonds you have developed?" Lucius said softly, but with confidence.

Voldemort brushed Nagini off his lap gently before walking over to the pensieve. He looked into it with a frown, knowing that they contained memories of the times that were innocent and without pain. "I wonder if seeing my memories of his mother would cause him pain." He pondered, "Adrianna… she should have lived. Rhyian would've cherished her."

"The influence of Lily Potter is keen on him." Lucius murmured, feeling a strange sense of loss. It was saddening to know that his nephew considered Lily Potter more of a mother than his sister. "Maybe he should know something about Adrianna as well."

The Dark Lord didn't say anything, his gaze focused on the pensieve, "To see her again… even in memory…"

Lucius' eyes widened, "You're able to _feel…_" he whispered, "You wish to grieve for her, my lord?"

"I never did." Riddle answered stoically, "As a husband, I failed. As a father, I continue to." He rubbed the bridge of his nose to stall an on-coming head-ache. "I failed to protect his mother, Lucius. He'll be justified if he chooses to accuse me of carelessness."

"He won't accuse you of anything." Lucius answered, knowing his nephew enough to say that with confidence. "He has forgiven far more grievous offences, my lord."

"And that worries me. His tendency to give everything of himself to the people he cherishes is an alarming trait." he glanced at Lucius, "Especially considering that he is in very close proximity with mate." The Dark Lord turned back to the pensieve with a frown, "That child… it's too early for him to find a mate."

Lucius nodded in complete agreement. If the Cullen realized just how generous Rhyian's nature was, he would take advantage of it.

"Leave me." Voldemort dismissed him abruptly with a casual wave of his hand.

Lucius nodded, bowing respectfully even though Voldemort didn't see it. "Yes, my lord." He whispered before walking out of the room gracefully.

The Dark Lord peered into the pensieve, his keen eyes catching flashes of a beautiful woman and a little child who was the centre of his life.

He closed his eyes to gather himself before plunging himself into the collection of memories.

**xXx**

_Voldemort rushed through the passages of his manor, his long legs carrying him swiftly past many rooms and chambers. _

_He had been in the middle of a raid, searching for clues regarding the Prophecy that Severus had informed him about when he received the news._

_Adrianna had given birth._

_Anticipation coursed through his veins as he rushed towards his bedchamber where his wife and his son resided._

_His son._

_A rather giddy smirk curled at his lips as his pale green eyes glowed. To wait for the arrival of his child for nine months had been excruciating. The mixture of anticipation and worry had driven him almost mad. _

_The first thing he heard as he reached his chambers was a rather irritated wail, piercing and demanding attention. _

_His smirk widened as he pushed the door open, his eyes frantically looking for the child. _

_There he was, cradled in his wife's arms, squirming and squalling and oh dear lord… so tiny. _

"_Adrianna." He breathed softly, walking forward and peering at the bundle in her arms, his eyes obsessively roaming over his child's features. _

"_Tom." She answered with a smile and he couldn't bring himself to reprimand her for the use of his muggle name. _

_At that moment, had she had asked for the world at her feet, he would've given it to her. _

"_Is he?" he asked with uncharacteristic tentativeness, studying the child for any imperfections. _

_He was pleased beyond belief when he found none. _

"_He is perfect, my lord." The healer stated, understanding the Dark Lord's query, "I can sense no physical, magical or mental defects in the child." He explained calmly, "If anything, sir, he appears to be stronger and more powerful than average wizard children."_

_Voldemort nodded and waved him away impatiently, "Leave us."_

_Adrianna laughed, "So eager, Tom." She teased gently, "Do you want to hold him?" she offered shushing the child in her arms, "Come now, little one, behave for your father."_

_Voldemort reached forward before pausing, a scowl twisting his features. "Twinky! Get me some hot water and a towel, __**now!**__"_

"_Tom?" Voldemort shook his head and quickly discarded his robes and his shirt, turning toward the elf that had appeared. He waved his wand at the water before plunging his hands into the liquid, scrubbing them furiously. _

_Adrianna burst out into bell-like laughter at her husband's actions, watching in amusement as he cleaned himself thoroughly. "My, you are being uncharacteristically considerate." She teased. _

_Voldemort scoffed before turning towards her with a raised brow, "I'd rather not risk anything." He said before reaching forward, "How am I to hold him?" he knew that there was a specific method to hold a newborn but he didn't know how to go about it. _

_Adrianna smiled before placing their son carefully in his arms, "Support his head." She whispered, adjusting her husband's arms once he held the child. "There." She murmured, "Perfect."_

"_Indeed." He whispered in agreement, looking down at his son. Those wide, curious eyes were looking at him, a little fist waving at him. The eyes were a shade of blue but a ring of brilliant pale green surrounded the color. "He'll inherit my eyes." He stated, knowing that the green will spread in the upcoming months as the child's body and magic developed. _

_Caressing a pudgy cheek with his finger, he smirked, "Curly hair." He raised a brow at his wife, "Aren't they supposed to have very little hair?" he ran his fingers delicately through the incredibly soft mop of dark, curly hair on his son's head. _

"_Not necessarily." She answered, "I think it's rather adorable, isn't it? Pity, he might lose it in the upcoming months and when it grows back, it might not be so curly."_

"_Hmm." The Dark Lord too besotted with his son to take his eyes off the child for more than a few seconds._

_Adrianna had a fond smile on her lips as she observed her little family, "He is his father's son." She stated confidently, "Just a few hours old and he has already commanded the absolute attention and devotion of the entire household." She looked at him curiously, "What are we to call him?"_

_Voldemort tilted his head to the side in consideration. "The boy will be a full lamia, right?"_

_Adrianna nodded, "No matter what species we breed with, excluding the Elves, our offspring will always be lamia. However," she paused, "Your line has been blessed by Elves and there's the fact that you are a True Dark Lord..." she shook her head, "It is possible that he'll be different." She looked at her son with a sparkle in her eye, "He'll be special."_

"_Then he deserves a special name." Voldemort stated before carefully handing the child back to his wife. Walking over to his bookshelf, he quickly scanned the volumes for a particular book. _

_**Ithil'quessir**_

_Moon Elf. It was one of his favorite tales. It was a tale in which Elves weren't the pure and uncorrupted beings that they were considered to be, but a race that had its own vices and flaws. _

_Rhyian, the grey elf was his favorite character. He wasn't the protagonist nor was he the antagonist. He was just a character who assisted the protagonist but one of exceptional cunning, prodigious skills and almost unbeatable intelligence. _

_He was everything that he wanted his son to be when he grew up. A perfect Slytherin. _

"_Rhyian." He said at last, pronouncing the name carefully for his wife's benefit. "Rhyian Thomas Riddle."_

"_Rhyian Thomas Riddle." She whispered, looking down at her child, "Welcome to our family, Rhyian Thomas Riddle."_

**xXx**

_Bathing Rhyian was a ridiculously tiresome affair. His son refused to stay still, trying to squirm out of his slippery hands, all the while smiling toothlessly at him. Adrianna had been too ill to move from her bed and Voldemort refused to let anyone deal with his child on such an important day. _

_It was Rhyian's naming ceremony. _

"_Will you be still?" he looked at his son with a raised brow, wondering briefly why he was talking to someone who couldn't possibly comprehend him. _

_Rhyian responded by splashing water at him, soaking his robes a little. "Dear lord, you are so mischievous." He whispered, gently pouring warm water over his son's head, finding amusement in doing something as innocent and mundane as bathing his son. "Where did you get that from, hmm?"_

_The child just waved his hands excitedly, his precious face flushed pink and full of innocent joy. _

_The Dark Lord smirked before snatching the towel from the house-elf, ignoring her alarmed squeak. Carefully, he wrapped Rhyian up in the soft fabric and stood, gently patting his son dry. _

"_Is everything ready, Lucius?" he asked the man who had been standing away from them, not daring to express his amusement in the presence of the Dark Lord. _

"_Yes, my lord." Lucius answered, "Lord Iauron is here, sir."_

_Voldemort stilled, looking at Lucius in visible shock. "Iauron… Iauron the ancient one? Why in the wo-" he paused, looking down at the child in his arms with a frown, "Have you summoned an ancient to you, Rhyian?" he asked ponderously._

"_It would seem that he has, my lord." Lucius said with a nod, "Lord Iauron said that he would oversee the ceremony himself and perform the usual blessings." He looked at the Dark Lord, "My clan elders have not objected… they daren't." _

"_Of course they don't." he whispered with a scoff as he dressed Rhyian in fine white silk robes. "We are speaking of the same elf that had bestowed the Blessing on the Slytherin line almost two thousand years ago."_

_Holding the active baby firmly in his arms, he walked towards the ritual chamber, Lucius following him cautiously. He knew why Lucius was being so hesitant. The Malfoy Lord was relatively young by Lamia standards, so young that he wasn't even considered old enough to meet the true elders of his clan. To meet an ancient Elf was a privilege he knew very few would ever experience. _

"_Lucius."_

"_Yes, my lord." He murmured, understanding the silent command. He stepped in front of the Dark Lord and opened the large, ornately decorated doors of the Ritual chamber. _

_Lord Iauron was easy to spot and impossible to ignore. He stood out like a diamond amongst a sea of coals. Tall and regal, he was the very definition of what an Elf would be. _

_Voldemort had never met him but had read about the Elf lord many times in historical accounts of the Slytherin clan. _

"_Lord Iauron." Voldemort greeted impassively, "You honor us with your presence." He nodded respectfully. _

_The elf turned towards him, his beautiful, perfectly symmetrical features glowing in the light of the lamps. With jet black hair, pale green eyes and sharp, clean features, he was the source of all the traits that were considered quintessentially Slytherin. _

"_I sensed him." Iauron said softly, his voice deep and resonating. The elf's eyes were focused on his son. "I must congratulate you, Lord Slytherin; you have begotten a fine heir." He reached forward in askance, "May I?"_

_Reluctantly, Voldemort placed his son in the elf's arms, keeping a protective eye on the actions of the ancient being. _

"_Gîl síla na lû govaded." (A Star shines on the time of our meeting.) The elf lord whispered to his son, placing a glowing hand on his forehead, "The brilliance of your heart and mind will brighten every path your tread. You will bow to none and none shall be able to bring you to your knees. You have the heart of an Elf, the mind and spirit of a Lamia and the will of a Wizard." Curious and innocent eyes looked up at the elf and the ancient being smiled, "Indeed you shall be great, for greatness is your right. In time, you shall be Lord. The House of Slytherin shall emerge once again, ever more proud and regal. It will no longer be a clan of wizards but that of Lamia."_

_A small sliver of light, burning as brightly as a star, appeared on Rhyian's forehead and Voldemort frowned, almost taking a step forward. _

"_Lord Slytherin, what will he be called?"_

_The Dark Lord steadied himself, narrowing his eyes at his loss of composure. "Rhyian Thomas Riddle."_

_The elf smiled, "Ah. I see that you are wise, Lord. It is a fitting name. Rhyian…" he whispered, "Prince Rhyian of the Slytherin House." He glanced at the Lamia elders who were sitting in their seat, composed and content. The two races had always maintained close and jovial ties so no one had protested when the Elf Lord had taken such liberties. "Do you agree, my brothers?"_

_The Lamia elders exchanged glances, looking almost amused. _

"_Far be it for us to deny you, Lord Iauron." The Eldest amongst them, Lord Dûrion, replied, "We sensed him just as you have. As this child is the Dark Lord heir, it is apparent that the Slytherin clan would be the Lamia race." He looked at Voldemort, "Although, we ought to ask him for his permission before making such decisions."_

_The Dark Lord raised a brow, reaching forward to brush his knuckles against his child's supple cheek. "His path is his own. He is not obliged to follow mine." He looked at the Elf lord in the eye, "The Wizards and Muggles will never understand the true worth of my ancestors nor would they truly honor the name of Slytherin. I have no objections."_

"_And so it shall be." Iauron whispered finally._

_The ceremony commenced once Adrianna arrived. Her features were pale and tired but a child's naming ceremony was a very important ritual and it demanded the presence of both parents unless it was impossible for them to be present. _

_It was exactly a month since Rhyian was born. His magic had stabilized to a certain extent and it was now time to engrave his name into his blood, his magic and his soul._

_The Naming Ceremony was an important aspect of Pureblood culture but the Ministry discouraged it. As of yet, it was still legal but the paranoid wizards were contemplating putting a ban on the ancient custom._

_Such a thing would have drastic consequences. _

_A wizard's name had some magical properties. It was a reason why Pureblood parents would carefully select an appropriate name for their child. It was often noted that the name reflected the personality and abilities of the child. _

_Moreover, a person's name could also be an anchor to protective spells and wards. _

_One of the most common uses of it was in Gringotts. It was impossible to fake identity to enter the more secure vaults because the vaults belonged to the name and the magical signature embedded in the name. _

_Even the Ministry and the Goblins themselves couldn't steal from the vaults of purebloods and most half-bloods because of this one, simple but important ritual. _

_However, considering that Rhyian was their special child, he needed a special ceremony. _

_Adrianna smiled down at her husband and son indulgently as the most powerful Elf known blessed her child and then proceeded to perform the ritual._

_If nothing else, she was certain of one thing. _

_Rhyian will be safe._

**xXx**

"_Golden slumbers kiss your eyes._

_Smiles await you when you rise._

_Sleep, pretty baby,_

_Do not cry,_

_And I will sing you a lullaby…"_

_Like everything else about her, Adrianna's voice had a supernatural allure to it. The love and protectiveness that she felt for their little son poured into the song, caressing his ear. _

_Rhyian couldn't resist. He was asleep before the lullaby was complete. Adrianna continued to sing the tune for her husband's benefit more than for anything else. Tom had very little to cherish and he burdened himself with the weight of his goals far too much. He knew little peace. _

_She was determined to be his home. A place to return to when he needed rest and silence. _

_The cool night air was carried her soft, alluring voice easily, trapping the little family in a dream-like place where everything was peaceful and beautiful. _

_The faint light of the crescent moon was shining down on her and for the first time in their married life, Tom was looking at her with fondness in his eyes. His eyes traced her illuminated figure with gentle possessiveness. He was watching her, leaning back against a handsome leather chair, indulging himself. _

_She was now more precious to him than anything but their son. He knew her loyalty towards him to be absolute. He knew that her dedication towards him surpassed everything else. _

_There was no one in the world he could trust more._

_Silently, he beckoned her to approach him, conjuring another leather chair with an absentminded flick of his wand. When she settled herself beside him, he peered down at the baby in her arms, smirking faintly. "He is finally asleep." He murmured, "You should have sung to him sooner, I have an early morning meeting tomorrow."_

_She raised a brow, "A silencing charm would have ensured that you slept undisturbed, my lord." She replied, a sly little smile hiding in her words. _

_Voldemort narrowed his eyes at her but she simply smiled at him innocently. "Of course, your son is so demanding that he needs both his parents present or he refuses to sleep." She turned her tender gaze towards their child, "He's going to be the most indulged child." She whispered, "The son of the Dark Lord. What a destiny." She marveled silently, wondering what the life of her child would be like. _

_Voldemort scoffed, "His destiny is going to be of his own making." He narrowed his eyes, looking up at the sky as though he was challenging the fates themselves, "I'll have the world at his feet by the time he is an adult. He can choose what he does with it."_

"_I have little doubt of that, my lord." She whispered, keeping her eyes on her son, hiding her solemn frown from him. "Tomorrow, Narcissa and Lucius are hosting a ball." She said, almost reluctantly, "To celebrate their anniversary. The lamia elders have decided that they will be blessing Draco." She looked at him, "I would like to be there."_

_Voldemort frowned, looking at Rhyian in consideration, "There is little cause for our son to accompany you. I will not expose him to outsiders that will attend the ball so early." _

_Adrianna looked at him with a slight frown, "You can't keep him hidden for long, my lord. He doesn't deserve such isolation."_

"_I will decide when he is ready to enter into society, Adrianna and I will listen to no arguments on this matter." He stated firmly, "Besides, you can take care of yourself but Rhyian's presence will only be a burden if someone does choose to attack." He glanced at her, "You are my wife, everyone knows it. If they see a child with you, they will assume that that child is my son. There is nothing more frightening to those fools than the though of a Dark Lord having an heir."_

_She nodded, understanding his point, a smile lingering on her lips, "How very odd to fear the child more than they fear the father."_

_Voldemort leaned back in his chair, absently pouring himself some wine, "There is always the possibility that the child will surpass the father. With your lineage and mine coming together to form Rhyian, the world is right to fear him."_

_Adrianna caressed her child's cheek, frowning solemnly, "I wish for him to be loved rather than feared." She confessed softly, aware of her husband's eyes on her, "He shouldn't need to command, my lord. The World must simply submit to him out of love and devotion."_

_Voldemort laughed, his voice deep and slightly serpentine like a King Cobra's growl. It was disconcerting to hear it. "You are learning my ways, wife." He looked at her in approval. "You may go to the Malfoy manor tomorrow. I will attend to Rhyian while you are there. Return as early as you can." He looked up at the sky at the nearly full moon with a slight frown, "I'd rather not have you out of the Slytherin manor wards on a full moon."_

_She nodded gracefully, standing up when the night air started to become colder. Carefully adjusting her son in her arms, she looked at her husband, "Shall we retire for the night?"_

_Voldemort leaned back, gazing up at the night sky. "Go ahead." He waved absently, "I shall join you soon."_

"_Very well." She murmured softly, "Goodnight, Tom." She said with a slightly teasing smile, walking away swiftly before Voldemort could reprimand her for using his muggle name. _

_Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the sky. Had she not been his wife, he would've…_

_Shaking his head slightly, he leaned back, sipping his wine in content. A slow smirk crossed his lips as he recalled his wife's words. _

_The world must simply submit to him out of love and devotion. _

"_It will." He murmured to himself, "I will see to it."_

_How interesting it was to note that his ambitions had shifted and altered in order to accommodate his precious son. _

**xXx**

_Adrianna didn't return that evening. She seemed to have el-_

Voldemort forcefully pulled himself out of the pensieve, his skin paling at the mere though to confronting Adrianna's death.

He couldn't do it.

It was too soon. He had no desire to taint the pleasant memories of Rhyian's early days with the memory of his wife's murder.

It was cowardly of him but he certainly never claimed to be brave. She was a woman meant to be loved, her gift to him in the form of Rhyian was something he could never repay. With his soul in pieces and his sanity fading, he couldn't have appreciated her even if he tried.

Reeling underneath the weight of those memories, he tossed back a potion for his pounding headache, a grimace twisting his handsome features.

He realized just how much he had lost.

Shaking his head, he proceeded to make copies of those memories. He'd view the rest of them later, when he finished assimilating the ones he viewed.

* * *

The Cullen house was silent. Edward and Jasper were pacing while Esme and Carlisle looked on in worry. Rosalie and Emmett were uncharacteristically silent as well, the blonde actually seeming apprehensive for once in her immortal life.

Alice was trying to distract herself but it was obvious that she was worried as well.

"So this child isn't human?" Esme asked tentatively.

Emmett closed his eyes, "I'm the strongest amongst us and I can't send Edward crashing to the ground with a simple tap, mum." He said with conviction, "Whatever he is, he obviously can neutralize us."

Jasper nodded in agreement, "The way he spoke… when he mentioned humans… he isn't human, that's for sure."

Carlisle nodded slowly, a concerned frown marring his features. "We'll just have to-"

The phone rang and everyone stilled in surprise before Carlisle reached forward and set it on speaker.

"Hello?"

A smooth voice, with an obvious French accent answered him, "_Carlisle? I received your message and you sounded quite alarmed, is everything alright?_"

"Étienne," Carlisle whispered in relief, "Yes, Thank you for calling. I'm afraid we've stumbled upon something unexpected and I need your advice."

"_Well, ask away._"

"Forgive me, I have never taken your interest in mythical beings seriously. We have encountered someone who doesn't seem quite human but we are certain that he isn't a Shape-shifter or a vampire."

There was a pause. "_Ah. I always understood your skepticism, my friend, you needn't apologize. Not quite human you say? What led to that conclusion?_"

Carlisle looked at Edward before answering, "We react to this boy. Edward more than anyone else. We feel an urge to protect him… almost as though he is a part of our coven."

"We always knew there was something different about him, sir." Jasper said respectfully, having met the man he was speaking to and holding him in high regard. "He is not a Singer and his presence calms us like no other. I haven't had such an easy time dealing with the scent of humans ever since I was reborn."

"_Is that so…_" Étienne murmured thoughtfully, "_How interesting. Anything else to add?_"

Edward paused for a moment before speaking up, "He was able to cause me pain with a simple slap to my head." He admitted, "Any he said some things to us that confirms that he's not human. Still… we need to know _what_ he is."

"_What did he say?_" the man asked curiously.

Edward recounted the entire dialogue word to word, hearing that voice resonating in his head as he spoke. Rhyian's words had pained him.

"_Obliviate?_" The French pronounced the word in concern, "_Correct me, if I'm wrong. This child, he neutralized Edward's strength and said the word Obliviate? Did he have a stick in his hand?_"

"Yes."

"_Mon Dieu, and his speech… my friend, you have indeed put yourselves in the hands of a potentially powerful being. What is his name, pray tell?_"

Edward spoke up before anyone could answer him. "Why do you need his name?" he asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowed and stance subconsciously protective.

There was a moment of silence over the phone-line before Étienne replied gently, "_Edward, child… from what you tell me, I can only say that this person is not a normal human… he may not be human. Moreover, he may be your mate. Your response to him and his behavior towards you, suggests this._"

Edward froze, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"_You don't feel much attraction and lust towards him for the simple reason that he's too young. In another year or two, your instincts will respond to his own physical maturity. For now, you feel the need to protect and please him. A true mate of a superior species will have a counter for all your strengths, Edward. Even if you try, you will not be able to harm him._"

Edward shook his head, utterly confused, "B… but, how?"

Carlisle placed a hand on his son's shoulder to calm him before addressing the French vampire, "His name is Rhyian Thomas Riddle."

Étienne sucked in a sharp breath, "_Mon Dieu, please tell me you have done nothing to upset or harm him!_"

Carlisle leaned forward in alarm, "No. We haven't." he assured immediately, "So you know who he is?"

There was a pause before the other vampire answered, "_Carlisle, I caution you._" He warned, "_Riddle is a feared name amongst many, my friend._" His voice was a whisper, "_Tom Marvolo Riddle is the name of a man too powerful to oppose. He is the Dark Lord, Carlisle._"

Carlisle drew a sharp breath while his coven looked at him in confusion. "A Dark Lord? A true Dark Lord? There hasn't been one in ages…"

"What is a Dark Lord?" Esme asked, holding onto Carlisle's hand.

"_A Dark Lord is a protector of all Darkness._" Étienne explained, "_As foolish as it sounds, there is no other word that can describe it. Calling such things evil would be unjust and would lead to misconceptions. A Dark Lord is an overlord who ensures the wellbeing of all manner of Dark Creatures. Vampires, werewolves, sirens, lamia, demons… all of them fall under his protection._"

"What!" Rosalie asked in absolute surprise, "Such things exist?"

There was a dry chuckle, "_Indeed they do, my dear. There are elves, dwarfs, wizards, faeries, pixies, mer-people, sirens, demons, and a host of other intelligent beings out there. They all reside in a world that is separate from ours, covered with shields which normal human beings and us normal vampires and werewolves cannot see._"

Alice leaned forward excitedly, "Wow, can you tell u-"

"How do you know that Rhyian is connected to this Tom Marvolo Riddle? How can you be certain?" Edward asked, his hands fisted. He ignored every other information that Étienne had given. All he was concerned about was Rhyian.

Jasper frowned, "Tom Riddle is Rhyian's father's name." he pointed out.

"_Indeed, Tom Marvolo Riddle is the father of Rhyian Riddle._" Étienne answered softly, "_It was just recently revealed to us. Apparently, someone was foolish enough to attack the child in his own home a few weeks ago. That wizard was killed the very next day._" He informed nonchalantly.

The coven exchanged uneasy looks at the casual mention of killing.

"_Rhyian Riddle has been hidden from public eye all his life._" The French vampire said, "_How the Dark Lord managed to keep his son a secret is a mystery but no one even heard a mention of the child until a few months ago. After he was attacked, the Dark Lord was furious. He sent the child away to a place where no one would find him._"

Carlisle frowned, looking at his family, "That explains the wound on Rhyian's chest and his reluctance to stay here."

Rosalie leaned forward with a frown, "What else can you tell us? You say that Rhyian might be Edward's mate?"

There was a pause, "_I almost forgot about that._" Étienne murmured apprehensively, "_This is the son of Tom Riddle and Adrianna Malfoy-Riddle… I am sorry Edward but you may face a lot of prejudice when this comes out._"

Edward frowned, seeming confused, "Because I'm a vampire? I thought you said that Dark Lord protects all Dark creatures?"

Étienne sighed, "_Their world is very traditional, Edward. They're still bound by ancient values and social order. As it is, vampires like us… made from humans with very little concentration of pure power are considered to be very low in the hierarchy and that child, being the son of the Dark Lord is a prince to our peasant._"

"Peasant?" Edward whispered incredulously while Emmett, despite the serious situation, snickered. After all, Edward had spent nearly a century believing that he was superior to humans in every way and the Shape Shifters were of little consequence.

To find that he was actually low in the hierarchy must not have been pleasant for his proud sibling.

There was a smile in Étienne's voice. "_Yes. Don't worry much. It is a simple warning. If you are truly his mate, the Dark Lord will not deny you but…_" There was a sigh, "_Before I explain everything, why don't I tell what your Rhyian was trying to say?_"

"What do you mean?"

"_Edward, all of us have been humans in the past. Even though we try to pretend we are superior, that we are cursed, we cling to our human roots and refuse to understand what we truly are._" Étienne explained. "_Many thousand years ago, we were expelled from that society… a society where we truly belong. A society where we aren't supernatural monsters but ordinary beings of a different race. Do you know why?_"

The Cullen looked confused and Étienne continued speaking. "_Because we were too human. We looked at them as though they were monsters, Edward. When we saw Incubi and Succubi, we were disgusted. They preyed on humans and we vampires tried to kill them for it, considering ourselves right in doing so. We saw demons and were alarmed. We saw Veela and labeled them as whores. Why? They were created in nature just as humans were. We thought of those different races as unnatural and therefore not worthy of our respect. Hence, we were expelled from the society._" Étienne took a deep breath, "_Aro regrets this mistake to date. It haunts him. He desperately tries to win their favor once again. He understands more than anyone what we have lost when they pushed us away._"

The Cullens stayed silent, moved by the regret and sorrow in the man's voice.

"_Your Rhyian is right, child. In his eyes, you are holding yourself back and despising something that he cherishes. As the son of a Dark Lord, he understands and respects the darker side of Nature. Seeing you rejecting it angers him. As you don't truly understand Darkness, you insult it by thinking of it as something bad, something to be avoided and hidden._"

"So you're saying," Jasper whispered, coming to the realization before anyone else could. "You're saying that we don't truly belong here, in the human world and yet we crave for the connection with our human past."

"_Indeed._"

"Rhyian is disappointed in me… not because I refuse to drink human blood… but because I see myself as something unnatural? As something monstrous?"

There was a sigh, "_I have long tried to correct this habit of yours, child._" Étienne whispered in regret, "_When a vampire goes through rebirth, his body changes but his mind doesn't. He doesn't become more intelligent or wise, Edward. In fact, a newborn's mind is very vulnerable. This is why very few amongst us can truly be considered complete vampires, in both body and mind. As the body changes, the mind must change as well. The human mind cannot comprehend immortality but a vampire is capable of grasping it. It is on the condition that he must fully accept and realize what he is._"

"And what is a vampire?" Rosalie asked, intrigued.

"_A vampire._" He answered bluntly, "_A vampire is a vampire just as a human is a human and a girl is a girl and a boy is a boy… You are what you are, my dear but you must accept it. Because if you don't accept it, you don't progress further in your growth._" There was a slight chuckle, "_And yes, before you ask, you do grow. As you grow, you reach a point when blood isn't as necessary as air. It is important but you won't succumb to bloodlust when you encounter it. Just as a baby stops feeding on his mother's milk at some point of time, you stop relying solely on blood. In time, your body will come out of its frozen state. It is just as your Rhyian said, you mustn't suppress that part of you but you must master it._"

"Why is it that we don't know this? Has no vampire achieved this?" Carlisle asked curiously.

"_Of course they have. You have, Carlisle._" Étienne responded, "_You think that your compassion for life and the ability to control your bloodlust is a gift, you think that it is your vampire ability. In truth, you are one of the few vampires to accept what you are completely. Your body has already started the process of changing. You are now in a vampire version of puberty."_

Carlisle's brows shot up in surprise as he dealt with the unexpected information. "I don't understand, Étienne. I am three hundred years old, not a child, even by vampire standards."

There was a scoff, "_Three hundred is nothing, old friend._" He said in amusement, "_There are some creatures out there that are well over three thousand years old._"

"How can one comprehend to live for three thousand years?" Edward whispered, "How can one bear to live that long?"

"_Every person who lives on this earth is of use to Nature, Edward._" Étienne said softly, "_Humans are like seasons. They come and go. That is their purpose. They live short, brilliant and exiting lives before fading away. Some of them leave behind their legacy while others fade away without ever being known. That is their destiny. We are different._"

"Life has no meaning without death." Edward whispered, his dark eyes narrowed and pained, "Its value is diminished if there is no death to make it precious and worthwhile."

Rosalie scoffed, glaring at her brother, "No wonder Rhyian doesn't like you. You act as though your life is full of misery and sorrow. It's in your hands to make yourself happy, Edward, no one's going to come and do it for you! Some people don't even have that choice!"

"_Indeed. Your sister is very wise, Edward._" Étienne whispered while Carlisle squeezed Edward's shoulder in comfort. "_Have you ever wondered what feeds Nature? Have you wondered how this entity that is so vast, vibrant, alive and confusing, survives? No one can comprehend it fully. There are so many things in this world that defy any sort of explanation. Where does magic come from? Why do so many different beings exist, what is the purpose of it all? Have you ever tried to understand how all of this survives… nay, flourishes?_"

The Cullen's exchanged confused glances and their silence was all the answer that Étienne needed.

"_You say that without death life has no meaning but our very existence is vital. Every immortal being out there is a powerful, healthy and burning source of energy. They're a store house of magic. They enrich their souls in their long life with wisdom, experience and power obtained through knowledge and spiritual development. When the time comes, they fade away, their rich, potent souls giving back a great deal of purified energy to Nature. If an immortal is killed prematurely, that power goes to waste."_

Jasper and Carlisle were the first to understand what Étienne was trying to say.

"We are like filters." Alice whispered in understanding, "We channel and direct magic?"

Étienne let out a soft, resigned laugh, "_Alas, we vampires do nothing, Alice. Very few vampires reach that stage of enlightenment to make it count. When I speak of immortals, I speak of them, the Rulers of Light and Dark, the Elves and the Lamia. They have a comprehension of Nature that no one can dream of achieving. They understand it. They understand immortality. They live long, they prosper and continue to watch over the world, protecting it, guarding lesser creatures. All the while, they're nourishing their souls and getting ready to become one with nature. We vampires are the only other true immortals. We exist because both Elves and Lamia numbers are low. The burden of shouldering this ever-growing and stressed world is too much for them to carry alone. Vampires are their back up._"

"And we have failed, haven't we?" Jasper asked, recalling Rhyian's bitter anger, "We're living without paying our due… wallowing in the past when we must look to the future and assist them in their task."

"_That is correct._"

"This is something larger than I expected." Carlisle whispered, realizing the extent of what his friend was saying. "And a child seems to understand it better than we do." He smiled ruefully, "I always knew that that child was wise."

"What do we do about Rhyian?" Esme asked, getting to the heart of the matter. While all this information was interesting, all she was concerned about was how this was affecting her son. If this child was truly Edward's mate, what would Edward have to do in order to prove himself to Rhyian?

Carlisle looked at Edward, his eyes worried. "What do you suggest we do, Étienne?"

"_Maintain a good relationship with him regardless of what happened. I know it seems impossible but what the child said is true, he won't tell you anything about himself unless you earn it. I suggest you don't speak of what I told you._"

"That'll be difficult but doable, I think." Alice said, looking at Edward. Her brother looked torn and disoriented. His whole life had suddenly tilted on its axis and he was struggling to regain his balance.

"_Edward._" Étienne said gently, "_I understand that this is very abrupt. However, use this time for your benefit. You cannot comprehend how much happiness you may get if you are able to return to that society._"

"How can you be so sure that he is my mate?" Edward asked hoarsely, all other information was irrelevant to him.

There was a slight pause before the French vampire answered him, "_We cannot know for certain until the child comes of age._" He informed, "_However, I am speaking out of personal experience here._" The tone of his voice changed to that of fond amusement, "_The manner in which that child reacted reminded me keenly of the way my mate reacted to me when we first met._" He chuckled, "_For someone with so much beauty and grace, she sure has a vicious tongue. She wasn't exactly pleased but she recognized instantly that I was her mate. She was an adult at that time, unlike Rhyian. She was able to tell me bluntly that I wasn't worthy of her. And she is a Veela._"

Edward closed his eyes in resignation and leaned back. While it was true that they didn't have any proof, he knew instinctively that Étienne wasn't mistaken in his assumption. "I don't know what to do."

"_Think of it this way._" Étienne said gently, "_As difficult this is for you, it is more painful for Rhyian. He is a child. When he matures, he will realize that he is the mate of a person he doesn't approve of_." Edward winced. "_It is your duty to see to it that he doesn't feel that pain. What you don't realize Edward is that your refusal to accept yourself as you are also means that you will refuse to accept him as he is._"

The Cullens tensed at that, Edward looking particularly distressed.

"_He isn't a normal human. He has never been a normal human so he won't understand your reluctance. This will distress him. He will feel as though he must choose between you and his ideals, his faith and morals. From what I know of the Dark Lord, I can tell you for sure that you will face severe consequences if you hurt the child in any way._" The vampire's voice became stern, "_For your own sake, Edward, you must resolve this conflict."_

Edward gritted his teeth before standing up abruptly and walking away.

His family looked after him in concern and Carlisle sighed. "Thank you, Étienne. Is it possible for you to send over some more information? Maybe some books? I would also like to know more about Rhyian and his family…"

"_I'm afraid that's impossible, Carlisle. I can send you some books but as far as information about Rhyian and his family is concerned, it is best that you hear it from the child himself. The Dark Lord is not viewed favorably by the light-side wizards and there are some things about that world that will mislead you. It is best if you wait._"

The Cullen clan exchanged uncertain looks before nodding.

"Very well. Thank you for your help, Étienne. I apologize on behalf of Edward. You can imagine how difficult it is for him to suddenly face this."

"_Come now, old friend. You know that I won't hold it against the child. Edward is a good boy, albeit a bit more melancholic than I would be comfortable with._" Carlisle could sense a smile in his voice, "_It was good hearing for you. It has been far too long since we have spoken. If you have any plans to come to France, remember us Delacours, will you? We haven't met my children and grandchildren yet._"

"Ah yes. I'll let you know." Carlisle chuckled, "Give my regards to Madame Delacour, Étienne and the rest of your family as well."

"_I will. Good day, Carlisle."_

* * *

Lucius Malfoy observed the man sitting in front of him quietly, nursing a glass of his finest whiskey. It was late in the evening and Narcissa was enjoying having the company of her lady friend.

Lucius was not welcome to her room in nights such as these.

Pity, because he couldn't sleep as well as he would like unless his companion of seventeen years was there beside him.

Shaking his head slightly, he leaned back in his chair, absently petting one of the two dogs that were sitting contently by his feet. "I wasn't aware that you were acquainted with them." He said finally, once he had finished analyzing the entire conversation. "You didn't tell them that Rhyian was a lamia?"

Étienne Delacour shook his head, looking faintly amused, "That would have sent them into a panicked frenzy. When Carlisle mentioned Rhyian's name, I was surprised." He looked at Lucius with a smile, "Isn't it just like our Rhyian to go and find trouble even in the most peaceful places?"

Lucius chuckled and nodded in agreement.

The French vampire shook his head, "My intention was to ease the Cullens into this. I have no desire to see Rhyian in pain. That child, Edward…" he paused, "He wouldn't have been able to accept Rhyian if all this was abruptly dumped on him."

Lucius narrowed his eyes at the mention of his nephew's possible mate, his fingers twitching with the desire to curse. "We have yet to ascertain if he is worthy of Rhyian."

Étienne shook his head, "As of now, no." he smirked faintly, "Rhyian is well on his way to reforming his mate so I don't think we have much to worry about. I have a feeling that your nephew takes after his father in such matters. He'll demand absolute devotion and perfection from his mate."

The Malfoy Lord nodded firmly, "That he should. He deserves nothing less. Besides," he looked down at his pets thoughtfully, "My lord is contemplating to perform a temporary severing ritual to stall the mating bond until he is certain about Edward Cullen's worth. He has already spoken to Lord Iauron and Lord Dûrion about the matter of finding a more suitable mate for him. They have agreed that if Edward Cullen causes more harm than good, the nascent bonds will be severed permanently. We can then, gently, lead Rhyian towards someone who'd be able to keep him happy and be loyal."

Étienne's eyes widened, "My my, isn't that too hasty a plan?"

"My nephew has suffered too much in his short life." The Malfoy lord said softly, "None of us wish to let him face more pain. We have taken every step needed to keep Rhyian safe and happy, Étienne. This is a small matter."

"What of Edward Cullen, Lucius? It would be cruel to deny him his mate. Rhyian will surely recover if the bond is properly severed but that child wouldn't." Étienne said with a frown.

Lucius scoffed, "I never claimed to be kind, that was more up Adrianna's alley. I do whatever is necessary to protect my family and the children of my family. Rhyian is as precious to me as Draco and I will not let a mere muggle vampire affect my nephew." He stated firmly, leaving behind no room for arguments. "Besides, Rhyian is too young to consider having a mate. He has hardly even experienced life properly."

Étienne nodded in agreement, "That much is true, I suppose."

Taking a sip of his drink, Étienne looked at the fire thoughtfully, letting his concern for Edward fade into the back of his mind. There was very little he could do.

It was all in Edward's hands.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: Fate's Hand**

**Author: Idika**

**Warnings and pairings: Refer to the previous chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs of J.K. Rowling and Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Author's Note: I realize that the update came very late and I wish I could offer a reasonable excuse. Mine is plain and simple. In a bout of utter stupidity, I decided to watch the Twilight Movie. I had heard that it was an improvement on the book so I decided to give it a shot. I regret it most heartily! The acting is awful. The interactions are awkward and uncomfortable. When Bella and Edward confess their love to each other, it hits you in the face because there is no visible sign of it developing through the course of the movie. Edward's voice, I might add, is crappy and meek. Throughout the movie, he seems like a zombie. Bella can't seem to talk without uttering uh and umm to show her indecision and utter lack of personality! I liked Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and Alice so much better! Heck, I even liked Jessica and Angela better than the principle characters. **

**It is utter agony to write Rhyian paired with that creep Edward! Seeing him in the movie is really no improvement at all. I wish that I could change the pairing and put Harry with Jasper or even Emmett. At least, they don't sound like pansies. I can't even think about the villains without gagging. Laurent and James are pathetic. Victoria, I admit, did seem a little scary and sexy but ugh... so not worth the title of antagonists! They are weaklings with no personality as well. **

**I am sorry for the rant but I needed to vent. I think I picked the wrong book to make a crossover with Harry Potter. Heck, even a crossover with Vampire Knight would have been better and I _hate_ that manga!**

**A warning to you all. Edward is getting a very hard hand in this chapter but I planned it that way. I also wish to inform you that the story will soon move back to the Harry Potter world. I have no interest in getting into the New Moon, Eclipse or Breaking Dawn plot-line. After this, Edward's character transformation will start with full swing. Also, I am still keeping the Edward/Harry pairing. That is not going to change. **

**enjoy.**

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* * *

**

Despite being able to function normally during the day, Vampires were primarily the creatures of the night. The darkness of the night gave them life as well as shelter. It was a time of silence, something that all the Cullens appreciated.

Humans never really seemed to appreciate silence until it was gone. They never seemed to understand just how beautiful it could be. How serene and comforting it was to someone who could not only hear spoken words but thoughts as well.

Edward cherished silence. Silence first attracted him to Bella's mind. It was a different kind of silence though, disconcerting because it was so hollow, so impenetrable. One couldn't breach that desperate silence, that vacuum that enticed panic and discontent.

His ma- _Rhyian's_ silence was so much more beautiful. It was like the darkness of the night, soothing, pleasant and thoughtful. There was something inexplicably comforting about Rhyian. The kind of security that one would feel with a person they trusted completely.

Trust was the word. Why Edward was able to apply it so easily to Rhyian was unknown to him.

Rhyian was an unknown entity. His father's friend had only added to the confusion by stating that Rhyian was the Dark Lord's son. Carlisle could only conclude that Rhyian was a wizard, that too with great uncertainty.

Edward wasn't convinced. Rhyian was something _more._ Whether his own partiality was affecting his judgment or his instincts leading him in the right direction, he didn't know.

"_And one such as him is to be my mate._"

Alone in his room, staring out of the window to gaze at the darkness, he allowed his thoughts to wander. Rhyian had managed to upend his entire perspective of the world. His notion of good and bad, right and wrong was now in question.

What was right for humans may not necessarily be right for him. There were so many instincts that he felt as a vampire and majority of them were disgusting to him but exactly what were his instincts trying to tell him? There was so much he needed to learn about himself, his instincts and his world.

And Rhyian could teach him.

Life was taking a new, unexpected turn. Something very pleasant and refreshing loomed on the horizon and all it needed was Edward's acknowledgement. Rhyian was a storm that had disrupted the monotony of his existence, showing a glimpse of a world where Edward wouldn't feel so… disconnected with everything.

He wanted that. He wanted what Rhyian could offer. He wanted to be ordinary without losing his identity. He didn't want to repeat his schooling. He didn't want to move from one place to another. He wanted to do something with his life instead of just existing without any purpose.

There was so much he _could_ do. He had invested long hours in creating musical compositions that he couldn't share with anyone but his family. It would be so satisfying to let all those concertos and sonatas see the light of day. He could do it. He knew he could. He could be a career pianist, share his works with others, teach and participate in concerts because he could be popular.

In a world that vampires were a fact rather than some horror story, he could live instead of just surviving on the fringes of society.

It would do his family so much good.

His father wouldn't need to go from one place to another, never having his brilliance in the field of medicine acknowledged because they couldn't afford to acquire fame.

His mother could easily establish her own firm, letting her hobby of designing homes become a profession.

Emmett would no longer need to use pseudonyms to get his articles published. He wouldn't need to look wistfully at the series of action/adventure novels that he had written and wonder if he'd ever be able to publish them.

Alice would finally be able to become a teacher, spreading her wide knowledge of known and some, not-so-known languages.

He could see it. Alice would _love_ to be amongst other enthusiasts, discussing about Latin, Greek and several other ancient languages. The sheer number of modern languages she was fluent in was astounding but Edward knew that very few outside their family knew of it.

Then there was Rosalie and her painfully poignant poetry.

She, perhaps, was the most misunderstood amongst them. Her depth and understanding was hidden underneath a thin veneer of icy perfection. She was also multi-talented. Her singing voice was beautiful as was her writing. Her talents could bring pleasure to many people but she was forced to hide it.

Edward regretted that. Rosalie deserved better.

Then there was Jasper. Just how much at ease would Jasper be amongst people like Rhyian? It would be easy for him to adapt to their lifestyle. Jasper wouldn't have to constantly worry about his control. He'd be able to live peacefully, maybe then, he'd be able to follow Carlisle into the medical field as he had desired to do for so long.

Even if Jasper never found the control necessary to go into the field, he could find something else. With the new world, new opportunities would come. Surely, he'd be able to find something that was ideal for him?

"_Edward…_"

The vampire stilled, looking at the door to see Rosalie silently standing there, observing him with an unusually kind expression.

"_Will you speak with me?_"

Edward instantly shook his head, understanding what she was asking. He wasn't ready to talk. He hadn't even begun to sort out his thoughts.

"_Please._" Her mind whispered to him, "_Just this once, listen to me, Edward. You aren't talking to anyone… you haven't spoken to anyone in our family for days._" She walked forward confidently, "_You haven't been in school for days. __He__ seemed somewhat concerned as well. Jasper sensed it._"

Edward tensed, his fingers twitching spasmodically in agitation. "Rose…"

"_Whatever you tell me… whatever we discuss will be in the strictest confidence._" She assured him, "_No one needs to know. You can tell me anything, Edward and I will not judge you. I promise you that._" She placed her hand on his arm, her long fingers grasping his sleeve, "_Will you come with me for a hunt? We can talk then._"

He looked at Rosalie, her earnestness surprising him to some extent. It was true that he was neglecting his family off late but Rosalie's worry in particular told him that she understood how important the situation was. She understood how it would affect their family.

He finally nodded to her, getting a small, relieved smile.

As she quietly pulled him away from the window and lead him out of their home, he contemplated her. To Rosalie, family was very important. In some ways, she was more of a sister than Alice could ever be. She was selfish and protective and because of that, she ensured that only the best was reserved for her siblings.

She was the one who secretly purchased his beloved Aston Martin for him. She was the only one who actively discouraged him from pursuing Bella, warning him that he was made for better things.

Even now, with Rhyian, she was the one who understood his feelings better than anyone else.

"Thank you, Rosie." He whispered to her, "You have been very patient with me."

She scoffed before pulling him towards a secluded spot. "Sometimes I wonder if your mind, along with your body has been frozen in time." Edward cringed, smirking crookedly at her. "We may not be related by blood, Edward but we are your family. Whatever decision you take, we will support you." She looked at him, her beautiful face open and honest, "We may not always agree but we will support you."

Edward nodded before turning away, looking up at the night sky in contemplation.

The silence that followed Rosalie's assurance was long and comfortable. She let Edward gather his thoughts, unwilling to rush him. Her consideration was noted and appreciated by her brother and he sought to put some very painful thoughts, to words.

"Rose… is what Rhyian said true?" Edward questioned softly, "Am I really that…" he groped for an appropriate word but failed, looking at Rosalie helplessly.

She walked a little away from him, "Rhyian is a teenager, Edward, you must understand that." She whispered, "For all his intelligence and wisdom, he really is very young to have a true understanding of your personality or the situation at hand. He doesn't show it, but he is going through a very difficult time. He is separated from his family, from a father he so obviously loves, his life is threatened and he is dealing with a very serious injury." She looked at Edward, watching as his eyes widened in understanding, "Do you really think that Rhyian understands his own feeling and instincts? I don't think he does. Under all that bravado, he probably is just as lost as you are and at least you have the support of your family, who does he have?"

"Oh Lord." Edward whispered, combing his fingers roughly through his hair.

She smiled, "It has been so long since we were children." Edward chuckled in agreement. "It has been a long time since we became Vampires… but," he looked at her in question, "None of us, excluding father, have accepted what we are." She closed her eyes in silent regret, "I still want to have a child… so much." She whispered painfully, "Life feels so empty without it."

"Rosie…"

"Rhyian doesn't understand how difficult it is for us to adjust but we have to understand why we _must_ accept our change." She said with conviction, "You heard the Mr. Delacour. We don't belong in the human world. We belong in that world. Perhaps, we are lucky that Rhyian came when he did. "

Edward sighed, "I've been thinking." He confessed, "That's all I've been doing. No matter how much I try to think about our family, I end up thinking about _his_ welfare. There is something going on and his life is at risk because of that. Somehow, I get the feeling that he _doesn't_ want me involved in it. These people Rhyian associates with, Rosie… they are much more powerful than the Volturi, I'm certain of it!"

"If Rhyian has the power to incapacitate you with one blow, Edward, then it is obvious that these people are powerful." She said easily, "Mr. Delacour's warning about Rhyian's father is not something that we can afford to take lightly."

"Yes, the Dark Lord." He whispered, the title sounding absolutely ridiculous to him but the man's presence was so powerful and intimidating that no other designation seemed to suit him better. "I don't think Rhyian compares to his father." He confessed, "There was something so… so dangerous about Mr. Riddle when he looked at me. It was almost as though it would take a single _thought_ from him to end my life."

Rosalie looked at him in with a frown. "That worries you."

"Of course it does!" Edward said vehemently, "We have to think what we are involving ourselves in, Rosie. The change that he mentioned… the change all Vampires must go through to become true vampires… _What _is it? _How_ do we achieve it? I have spent years believing that Vampires have no soul and will never be permitted in heaven."

"Edward," Rosalie said hesitantly, "The question of going to heaven or hell doesn't arise here. Don't you remember…"

He nodded, "We fade away and become one with nature. That is our purpose."

She snorted, "Now don't make _that_ sound depressing! Don't you realize that our existence _means_ something? You always lamented that our existence was useless and unnatural and now we find that we are made to _assist_ nature."

Edward fell silent at her vehement declaration, observing the dark canopy with a frown. "I am coming to understand that." He confessed softly, "But I am at a loss. I don't know how to deal with Rhyian. These secrets that lie between us are only going to make things very awkward."

Rosalie shrugged, "You can't keep hiding like this Edward. Some day or the other, you'd have to face Rhyian." She looked at him earnestly, "He isn't doing anything to make us uncomfortable. His interactions with us are normal and friendly as one can expect." She smiled in amusement, "He has even developed an amazing rapport with Jasper. The more Jasper stays in Rhyian's company, the more he relaxes and smiles. I don't think we have any reason to fear him."

"We have _every_ reason to fear him." Edward said bluntly, drawing a surprised stare from Rosalie. "Didn't you hear what he said that day, Rosie? He told us, not in so many words, that he was an immortal being. According to Mr. Delacour, only vampires, Lamia and Elf are true immortals." Rosalie's eyes widened, "Think about it. We can be damn sure that he isn't a vampire. That much is obvious. So, he must either be a Lamia or an Elf."

"But Elves are Lords of the Light." She whispered in realization, looking at Edward with wide, shocked eyes.

"Precisely. Elves are not Dark beings. Considering how eloquent Rhyian was about Darkness, we can only conclude that he is a Lamia." He looked at her seriously, his expression grim, "We are talking about a young, but very influential being. We don't know just _how _powerful he is nor do we know what he is capable of. Moreover, a Dark Lord, according to Carlisle, is someone who has major political and magical influence. If tomorrow, Rhyian's father suddenly decides that we are a threat to his son or that we have gained too much information, what would he do?"

Rosalie frowned, leaning against a tree as she contemplated the new information.

"Funny…" Edward murmured with a scoff, "How fragile my mortality appears now, in the presence of such creatures."

Rosalie chuckled at the comment, aware of its truth.

They shared a moment of companionable silence before Edward turned to look at her. "Frankly speaking, I don't know how I should proceed." He confessed, "I don't know how I'll react when I see Rhyian in school. I have so many questions."

Rosalie observed him for a moment, wondering if she should tell him. If she did, she knew he'd rush to Rhyian, trying to see if-

"Tell me what?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes at his sister.

She sighed. She had quite forgotten that he was a telepath and couldn't help but overhear her thoughts. "Rhyian has been… well, he seems a little out of sorts." She shrugged, "Almost as though he is sick."

"Sick?" he sounded skeptical, naturally assuming that lamia would have the same invulnerability as vampires. However, just as soon as that thought entered his mind, he recalled Rhyian's injuries. Hadn't Carlisle once told him that Rhyian seemed just as vulnerable as a human being was?

Just as Rosalie suspected, Edward's entire demeanor changed. The air of uncertainty that he had been carrying about himself for the last few weeks disappeared in an instant. His eyes were on her, sharp and focused. He stood, his stance stiff and ready while a trace of protectiveness graced his features.

"How?" he demanded. Everything took a backseat when it came to Rhyian's well-being.

Rosalie smiled. _This_ was what he needed when he dealt with Rhyian. He needed strength and confidence because his mate had those two qualities in abundance. He couldn't afford to be uncertain around Rhyian. That would only serve to drive the boy away.

"You remember that day, in the cafeteria? Both you and Jasper sensed that something was amiss." Edward nodded absently, recalling the incident. "Well, it seems that that problem has only escalated in the past few weeks. In fact, this morning he looked distinctly peaky." She frowned in concern, "You know how Rhyian carries himself, right? There was this easy grace about him but now he seems to almost slouch. He was holding himself gingerly, as though every step was painful to him."

Edward let out a string of curses, furious with himself. The mere thought that he had abandoned his mate when he was vulnerable stung him like nothing else. "Damn it! What have I been doing!"

Rosalie frowned, "You were confused by your circumstances, Edward. No one is going to blame you for that, least of all Rhyian. In fact, I don't think he'll appreciate you meddling into his affairs."

"He'll just have to live with it." Edward growled, "If he's sick, why the hell is he coming to school?"

"Don't be like that." Rosalie warned, "Don't push the boy, Edward. He'll only push back. Rhyian is far too sure of himself and too independent to take any form of possessiveness without being offended. Don't do with him as you did with Bella. If he gets even a hint that you've been spying on him when he was asleep, he'll hit the roof."

Edward chuckled at the image, "True." He agreed. "I had no intention of doing that." He seemed concerned, "I guess I'll just have to watch from afar."

"Come now, Ed." She frowned, "All of us have managed to befriend him. I'm sure that if you speak to him, he'll respond. He did ask after you, you know. He was concerned."

"You're right, I guess." He murmured, almost to himself. He sighed and leaned against a tree, looking at her in slight amusement. "We always complained that our life was boring, now we have this guy who is making things almost too interesting for my comfort."

Rosalie laughed.

* * *

"Young master…" Henry called for Rhyian's attention softly, having watched his charge play with his food disinterestedly for fifteen minutes now. "Shall I ask the chef to make something else for breakfast?" he asked in concern, "If this is not to your liking, I am certain something else can be arranged."

Rhyian waved his hand dismissively, frowning at the plate in silence.

Henry wasn't about to let the matter go. "Sir," he prodded once again, "You are neglecting your health, sir. Please, if there is nothing I can help you with, may I contact your father for assistance? Perhaps, Mr. Snape will provide you with some potion. You seem very ill."

Rhyian remained silent, pushing his plate away. He stood, walking over to the large French windows that showed the view of a beautifully cultivated garden.

"Si-"

"_Enough_, Henry." Rhyian snapped finally, his eyes narrowed in barely restrained irritation. His fingers twitched spasmodically, dark red tendrils of magic dancing at his fingertips. "Must you nag like some housewife?"

Henry flinched at the sharp voice, his head bowed, "Your welfare is my responsibility, sir. I rather not fail at it." He replied, "Something is wrong and you aren't telling me for the fear that I would inform your father."

Rhyian tapped his fingers against his bicep, scowling deeply at his faint reflection on the window glass. "I received the latest report from Draco." The young Slytherin heir commented, seeming and behaving so strikingly like his father that Henry drew his gaze away from the boy, keeping his eyes submissively on the ground. "The Ministry has seemingly grown in arrogance. With Dumbledore's decline in popularity, the public opinion on Fudge has soared. That _fool!_" Rhyian hissed in fury, "He's pushing for the systematic extermination of all muggle vampires and werewolves. They are to most defenseless, after all."

Henry's eyes widened in shock.

"After that, he wishes to move on to magical vampire and werewolves." He scowled, snapping his hand out and watching as a bolt of crimson colored energy collided with a potted plant, destroying it completely. "The thoughts of revenge have clouded his mind. When his sister was bitten by a werewolf, _he_ was the one who ordered her assassination. If she was so important to him then he should've mustered the courage to support her instead of killing her off and then blaming the entire werewolf population for it!"

His control over his own magic was now very fragile.

"If he dares to come after us elven and lamia folk, he will realize just how fragile his hold over his life and power is." He raised his hand, watching it glow in a color that every wizard had learned to fear.

Avada Kedavra Green.

"S.. sir… you must not-" Henry eyed the glowing hand warily, while he was well aware that Rhyian would never direct something so dangerous at him, he was rather concerned about the affect of such volatile dark magic on his young master. "Rhyian," he whispered, daring to use the heir's given name. He needed to distract the boy somehow, "Surely, Minister Fudge would never dream of harming the Lords of Light and Dark?"

Rhyian struggled to retain his calm, "Fudge fears power." He hissed wrathfully, "The Elves and the Lamia are on a pedestal that no wizard has been able to touch for a long time. They play their little games, fight wars on behalf of light magic and dark magic without truly understanding their cause. As long as there is harmony and friendship between the Elves and the Lamia, there would never be a true war between the two factions." He narrowed his eyes in a fierce glare, "But now, none of us can afford to sit back. By trying to exterminate the vampire and werewolf population, Fudge will tickle the sleeping dragon awake. Our Elders will never condone such an act."

"Then surely the Elders will put a stop to this foolishness." Henry commented with a puzzled frown, "I don't see why you are so concerned."

Rhyian scoffed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "You fail to understand something, Henry. There is a reason why the immortals very rarely interact with the mortals. There is a reason why we don't interfere in their affairs. We aren't supposed to. The entire world, be it Wizarding or Muggle, is generally unaware of the sheer extent of our power and influence over all things magical. We would prefer to keep it that way."

"Sir?"

"The last time when these wand-wielders forced the Elders to act, an entire civilization was wiped out without a trace." He confessed in a whisper, "Not a single man, woman or child survived the combined wrath of the Lamia and the Elves. England with _burn_ if Fudge continues on this foolish path."

Henry paled, his eyes widened as he looked at his solemn-looking charge.

Rhyian waved his hand, his magic crackling around his arm in an irritated fashion. "While the situation is something that bothers me, my main concern is how Dumbledore and father will react." He closed his eyes, worry lining his handsome features. "Dumbledore has been waiting. He is frustrated and wary of my father's silence. All attacks have been stopped, recruitment is in full swing but Dumbledore doesn't know about that. Uncle Severus tells him nothing but the most harmless information. Dumbledore declared it to the world that the Dark Lord is back but there is no evidence of it to present to the public."

"You believe that Dumbledore somehow influenced the Minister to take such a step?" Henry asked with a frown.

Rhyian shook his head firmly, "Absolutely not. He would never condone senseless killing." Of that, Rhyian was dead certain. Dumbledore was a master strategist and a manipulator but he would never agree to mass slaughter. "However, he's not above taking advantage of the situation. He won't step up and try to protect them either. That man likes to sit on his arse until the enemy hits too close to home. He did the same with Grindelwald, hiding like a bloody wimp until that man nearly had his way before stepping in and stopping him"

The butler silently handed Rhyian a plate of sandwiches. In his frustration, Rhyian absently accepted them and started eating his breakfast. "How will he take advantage of such a thing?" Henry asked softly, hoping to keep Rhyian distracted until he consumed the entire plate.

"This will force father to come out." Rhyian replied gravely, "Father will _never_ sit back and allow this blasphemy. He had been waiting. He was pining his time, gathering allies in the ministry, allowing Dumbledore's reputation to fall. He was certain that Fudge was completely in Uncle Lucius' pocket. His final blow would have been to let my Doppelganger die, therefore dealing a devastating blow to the ministry as well as Dumbledore."

The Slytherin heir took a sip of the exquisite coffee that the cook had prepared before continuing his explanation. Talking to Henry was helping him sort his thoughts out. "He wanted to do all of this without anyone knowing that he even existed. I had convinced him to try his former tactics once again. He has created a new inner circle to battle this out through politics and negotiations. There are some very formidable and influential people on his side now." He scowled, "Uncle Lucius is trying to convince Fudge out of this but it seems that our _dear_ minister has finally grown a spine!"

Henry wanted to sit down and try to deal with what Rhyian was telling him but he couldn't do such a thing when his master was standing, could he? Shifting his stiff stance subtly, he leaned against the wall.

He was a simple servant, his family having served the Malfoys for generations. He, and a few others, had accompanied Lady Adrianna when she married the Dark Lord and left her childhood home as a part of her dowry.

He, an insignificant butler, ended up under the command of the most powerful Dark Lord the Wizarding world had ever seen. He saw Lady Adrianna subtly direct her husband onto a less violent path. He saw the softening of the Dark Lord during Lady Adrianna's pregnancy. He saw the birth of his young master change the entire Dark faction and he saw his kidnapping destroy every positive change that Lady Adrianna had managed.

She had once told him, after Rhyian was born.

"_The father would pave the way and the son would build a kingdom._"

Looking at her son now, he understood precisely what she meant. With his father's power and intelligence and his mother's restraint and wisdom, Rhyian could be either glorious or devastating.

"Dumbledore will take advantage of this." Rhyian said with confidence, "I know he will. If father exposes himself to the public, all plans could go awry."

Henry observed the heir, watching as he paced, trying to control his erratic magic.

"Dumbledore will sit back and watch as Fudge tries to destroy everything. He won't even lift a finger knowing that this will force father to act." Rhyian narrowed his eyes, "When father acts, he'll most likely pounce on the opportunity."

"Pardon me, sir but I would assume that the Dark Lord is very capable of handling the situation. There is hardly any need for you to be so distress-" Henry flinched when a bolt of magical discharge swept past him and collided with the wall behind him.

"The Dark Lord happens to be my _father._" He hissed, turning on his heel to stare at his servant in silent fury. "The Dark Lord is also no longer _immortal._ It might be difficult to defeat him but he can die now. Moreover, Harry Potter is still out there, Merlin knows how powerful he has grown to be."

"Young Master, please calm d-"

"What in the world…" A voice interrupted their tense discussion and Harry spun around in shock, losing his shaky control over his magic in an instant.

With a hissed curse, a yew wand shot forward, slapping the errant magic away and letting it fly out of the house and hit the wards, energizing them.

In an instant, the Dark Lord shot forward, catching his weakened son before he could fall. "Henry, what's happened?" Voldemort demanded, his eyes dark and dangerous as he lifted Rhyian into his arms in one smooth move.

Rhyian blinked dazedly at the abrupt drain on his magic before closing his eyes, relaxing against his father's shoulder as he slipped out of consciousness.

"His magic has been out of control for a while now, my lord." Henry answered cautiously, following the Dark Lord as he went towards Rhyian's bedchambers. "He is not sleeping well nor is he eating as well as he should." He confessed, "I asked him to inform you or allow me to pass on the information but he was adamant, my lord. He ordered me not to speak a word about his recent ill health."

Voldemort stayed silent as he gently placed his son on the bed. He briefly brushed his fingers along Rhyian's cheek, letting his eyes roam over the precious face.

After a few moments of tense silence, he stood, all gentleness leaving his face as he eyes took on an icy glow. With a snarl, he spun on his heel, his wand outstretched and glowing, "_Crucio!_"

Henry let out a pain-filled cry as the curse hit him, sending him to his knees. He convulsed on the ground, scratching at flesh, trying to escape the pain, trying to find a way to speak, to beg for mercy.

"You fail in your duty once again, Henry_._" Voldemort hissed in fury, "You were told to report everything about Rhyian to me, were you not?" he asked, walking forward as he lifted the curse, his eyes narrowing at the panting and shivering man at his feet. "You were to inform me about every sneeze, every stumble, every bloody _paper-cut_ that my child endured."

"My lord, young mast-" Henry tried explaining himself, "Young master forb-"

"_I_ am your master!" Voldemort said softly, dangerously. "Ultimately, my commands supersede my son's orders. Too much has happened for me to leave Rhyian to his own devices. That was why I insisted that I should be informed of every detail." He trained his wand on Henry and lifted the man off the ground by his throat, watching with concealed satisfaction as the butler struggled to breathe. "Do you comprehend me, Henry?"

"Ye-yes m-my l-lo-rd!"

The Dark Lord let the magic disperse, letting his captive fall and collide with the floor painfully. "You can be easily replaced, trash." Voldemort whispered, leaning towards the shivering man. "My son is fond of you and I am loath to deny him anything. Be grateful that Rhyian cherishes you enough to be angry with me if you are killed by my hand."

Henry swallowed his nervousness, trying to control the shaking of his body. There was something very dangerous about the protective Dark Lord. It was almost as though that last barrier on his strength had been removed.

The Dark Lord now knew love and that had opened an entire realm of power that he had never known before.

"Now tell me, why did my son forbid you from speaking to me?" Voldemort asked distractedly as he turned toward Rhyian and cast a Diagnostic charm on him.

Henry let out a silent sigh of relief before speaking. "He does not wish for you to be distracted, my lord." He informed, "He is aware of the current political troubles that you face and feels that you are in danger and need to be focused on your mission."

Voldemort frowned before turning to look at Henry, probing into the man's mind.

He snorted suddenly as he viewed the entire conversation between Henry and his son. "This is the first time I have wished that Rhyian was less intelligent than he truly is." The Dark Lord whispered to himself. "Of course, he has deduced everything accurately."

He turned towards the boy as a scroll appeared above Rhyian's chest. "Ah yes, the build up of excess magic." He murmured, "I suspected this. Some Dark Magic is present… I arrived on time. Boppy!"

A house elf appeared by Voldemort's side, bowing submissively. "Provide Henry with the cure for Cruciatus." He commanded casually, "And take him to his chambers. After that, have the ritual chamber prepared for a cleansing ritual."

"As the master wishes." The house-elf murmured submissively before taking the butler away.

Voldemort turned to look at his son once again and frowned. It was really a pity that only he seemed to have the power to actually Apparate across the Atlantic amongst his people. He could have used Severus' help.

Settling into a plush leather chair by the fireplace with a resigned sigh, Voldemort wordlessly summoned a book from Rhyian's personal library. He was pleased to find a treatise on Ancient Greek Ritual magic to be amongst Rhyian's most recent purchases.

His son's interests certainly matched his when it came to the subject of magic.

Rhyian's presence and his home was now the Dark Lord's favorite sanctuary, away from the mess in England, away from the groveling Death-Eaters, away from the incompetent ministry and Dumbledore. He had come here with the intention of performing the Cleansing Ritual on Rhyian as well as taking a break in the excellent company of his son.

With a fluid movement of his wand, he cast a monitoring charm on Rhyian before getting absorbed into the book. Fortunately, Voldemort had realized early on that House-elf magic was ideal for repairing the Ritual Room and other required materials. He had personally trained Boppy to ensure that the house-elf could handle magical ingredients and tools and assist him in rituals and potions.

A low but loud hiss distracted Voldemort from the book and he looked up, his lips curling into a smirk when his son's King Cobra slithered into the room. "_Vasuki._" He greeted, "_You have escaped your room again._"

Yes, Rhyian's snake had its own room complete with a magically created piece of forest habitat that seemed as though it was imported straight from South India.

"_Master grows._" The snake hissed, getting himself on the bed and nudging his sleeping master with his head. "_The time when he will hunt nears._"

Voldemort raised a brow, looking at his son with narrowed eyes. As a bonded familiar, Vasuki was very sensitive to the changes in Rhyian. "_He needs blood? I was not told of this._"

The snake, with his limited understanding anything but his own nature and instincts spoke very plainly, "_Master grows._" He insisted, "_Too big power, too short body._"

The Dark Lord's eyes widened in comprehension and he leaned forward, waving his wand in a complicated serious of twirls and slashes, pronouncing a long Latin spell clearly. He watched as an orb of incandescent white light emerged from Rhyian's chest.

It was a perfect, scaled-down representation of Rhyian's magical core.

Voldemort observed the little ball but paused in surprise when the image wavered slightly before changing.

The orb expanded in diameter until it was just an inch larger than it was before. Thin, wire-like structures started emerging from the orb, stretching out along the length of Rhyian's body like blood vessels. Although the network was large and intricate, Voldemort noticed that a large portion of it was concentrated on Rhyian's hands and fingertips.

Voldemort sat back in awe, his keen eyes taking in the sight of his son's developing Magical system.

"_Entirely different from a wizard's magic._" Voldemort stated absently, feeling a need to voice his thoughts. Vasuki wouldn't be able to comprehend much of it anyway. "_Slightly different from Lamia magic as well._" He stood and peered at the representation. "_This certainly explains why his magic is so restless. There is nothing to do but let it run its natural course. I'll have to advice him to train intensely every morning before he leaves for school. If he exhausts his magic to a considerable extent everyday, he will be able to control it adequately until his body adjusts._"

Just as he was about to let the image disperse, he noticed something.

His eyes widened as he realized what it was. The wound that Rockwell had inflicted on Rhyian had grown. There was a large concentration of dark magic in it and Rhyian's body was taking advantage of it.

His son's body was actually _absorbing_ the alien magic in the wound.

An uncharacteristic grin crossed Voldemort's lips.

His son was _finally _coming into his Lamia heritage.

"Boppy!" Voldemort called out instantly, allowing the image to disperse. When the house-elf arrived, the Dark Lord leaned back in his chair comfortably, looking incredibly pleased and content. "There is no need for the Ritual chamber now." He waved his hand, "Have a room prepared for me. I shall be staying for a few days, at least."

"Yes Master." The small being murmured, "Will master be needing anything else?"

Voldemort didn't miss the concerned glance that the house-elf directed in Rhyian's direction. He had tried to discourage Rhyian's tendency to get too intimately involved in the welfare of their servants, but to no avail. His son's innate kindness was such that he was openly affectionate towards the little creatures in their employ.

At least, Rhyian had won their absolutely and willingly given loyalty as a result. He didn't want anyone to take advantage of his son's inability to accept anything that smacked of injustice.

Leaning back in his chair, Voldemort contemplated the current situation. Rhyian was obviously beginning to adapt to Dark Magic. He also knew that his son was very diligent in his studies so he had no doubt that Rhyian had at least five or so dark spells mastered by now. At this stage, it would be ideal to take Rhyian back with him to Europe so that his son could grow under the careful guidance of himself and some of his trusted followers.

He knew that both Lucius and Severus would be relieved to have Rhyian back in their protection but now he had other things to consider.

Such as the nascent bond between his son and that Cullen boy.

While Voldemort still believed that Rhyian was too young to have a mate, he knew that trying to separate the two at such a delicate time in their relationship would only be detrimental for Rhyian's own development.

On the other hand, with the onset of Rhyian's maturity, all his lamia senses would start to awaken. The craving for blood would be the least of their problems. He remembered how Lucius was during his maturity. Lamia were predators and Lucius had honed that instinct to perfection even before he graduated from Hogwarts. By nature, those beings were prideful and aloof, their power was such that they could afford to disregard anything that could be considered a threat with nary a thought.

He then remembered his own wife.

Lucius was always in the spotlight. He had the personality, the ability and the desire to draw and keep attention focused on him. He was the light that attracted people. Even those who hated him could not ignore his presence.

However, if Lucius was light, Adrianna was dark. By nature, she was reticent. She abhorred having attention focused on her. She was also very observant. Nothing escaped her. She was the ever-watchful moon, gazing silently at everyone, distant and reserved.

Too underestimate either of them was a fault that Voldemort had been careful to avoid.

When Adrianna became his wife, some unspoken rules came into play. She indulged his need to be in absolute control of both their lives. Her love for him was enough to let her bow down to his dominant nature.

Indulged was the key word. Never, throughout the course of his marriage, did Voldemort feel superior to his wife. They were, in every way, equals. She could be a formidable opponent with her keen intelligence and sheer mastery over her magic. There were things that she simply would not allow him to do. Her control over him was just as strong as his over her.

Rhyian took after him in many ways but in the heart, he was his mother's son. That Cullen brat was dealing with someone who, in one masterstroke, could ruin him.

Rhyian would hunt. He would taunt, test and stretch Edward as far as the vampire could bear. It was his nature. He was hardest on those who were important to him. How many times had his son provoked him with cutting words and sneers when Voldemort did anything that Rhyian considered wrong?

Voldemort had a feeling that Rhyian intended to take Edward to the Magical world with him when he returned. He was most likely educating the Cullens, making them ready for their world.

That would pose problems. Muggle vampires had been banished for a reason, after all. It was the same reason why muggles remained ignorant of their world. With the current political climate, it would be difficult for Voldemort to arrange for the Cullen clan's citizenship.

Lucius should be ab-

Voldemort stilled, his gaze inward as the wards around him sent a faint warning toward him.

His lips curled into a dangerous smirk. With an elegant wave of his hand, he placed a monitoring charm on his son and walked out of the room, his robes bellowing. By the time he had finished navigating the halls of the large house, the guests had already been escorted in and led to the parlor.

"Well, well, well…" Voldemort drawled, his smirk almost gleeful at the sight of his son's supposed mate. "How very convenient for you to drop by, my favorite little blood-suckers." He arched a brow at their stunning, disbelieving expressions, "Two are missing." He observed.

The female amongst them, the blonde, regal looking vampire stepped forward courageously just as she did the last time they met. She offered him her stylishly gloved hand, which he took and kissed with uncharacteristic gallantry. Such courteous behavior was more of Rhyian's forte than his, after all. "Mr. Riddle, a pleasure to meet you again." She smiled at him charmingly, shrugging off her shock with admirable ease. "Please forgive our intrusion. Rhyian has not attended school for two days now; we were concerned for his well-being. He looked rather ill when we last saw him."

Voldemort sat down gracefully, his eyes moving from the girl onto the boy who stood behind her stiffly. "Edward Cullen." He murmured, watching as the vampire tensed in anticipation. "You have turned into quite a bothersome individual."

The boy subtly shifted, looking faintly nervous, "I beg your pardon, sir?"

"My pardon," Voldemort narrowed his eyes dangerous, "You shall not receive. Sit, boy." He commanded, "Tippy, my wine."

The house-elf responded without even showing itself, a goblet of wine appearing in Voldemort's hand instantly.

The Dark Lord observed the three uncomfortable looking vampires before him with unfathomable green eyes. "So you have come to check on my child, have you?" he questioned absently, his gaze keen on Edward. "I have heard some rather… _unimpressive _things about your intelligence." He raised a brow at his son's supposed mate. "Tell me, boy, have you managed to discern anything about my Rhyian yet? Or are you too incompetent for such a task?"

Edward stiffened, wishing to take offence but unable to.

The Dark Lord was terrifying.

"He is a lamia, sir." Edward answered before snapping his mouth shut.

He hadn't meant to say that so… so bluntly.

Voldemort's eyes brightened with unholy glee, "Wonderful! There is hope yet. There must be some Slytherin trait in you, after all."

"Sir?" Edward questioned, baffled and completely off-balance. It was obvious that Rhyian's father knew what they were and why they cared so much for his son. Still, what about having an interview with this man seemed to be life threatening? Edward left as though he would be lucky if he stepped out of this house with his limbs intact.

"Maybe not." Voldemort murmured, looking at the stupidly confused look on the vampire's face. That particular expression was distastefully Gryffindorkish. "And what, pray, do you think a Lamia is?"

Edward looked at Rosalie and then at Jasper, hoping for some clues. They didn't know what _exactly_ a Lamia was, only that they were Dark creatures of great power.

Voldemort scoffed, "And this creature wishes to be worthy of my son?" He arched a brow disdainfully before lifting his hand, "_Accio Of those Blessed by Nature - Amadeus Zabini._" A thick tome zipped through the air, landing with a loud smack in the Dark Lord's hand.

He held up the book, letting the vampires see it clearly. "Amadeus Zabini is the sole authority in the study of Magical Beings." He said casually, "He, surprisingly, has this rather useless ability to write information in such a way that even the dumbest of all dunderheads can understand." My, how he loved the flash of indignant rage on Edward Cullen's features. He was unexpectedly enjoying the opportunity to torment his son's supposed mate. "Now, if you wish to be worthy of even the soil my child walks on, you shall read this book thoroughly." He narrowed his eyes dangerously at Edward, "Drill everything it says into your feeble, undead mind. It will probably tell you more about your own species than you know."

He tossed the tome at Edward, who caught it with his keen reflexes.

Voldemort was reluctantly pleased to see that the vampire's irritation had given him at least _some_ courage. He couldn't believe his son's mate was such a wimpy creature. Rhyian personified strength itself, both in mind and magic. How did this child expect to be an equal to his son when even his voice seemed tiny and mouse-like? He was deliberately killing his own vampire nature.

No wonder Rhyian was so cross with his mate.

"Your overinflated sense of self will take you nowhere in our world." Voldemort said in a cool, cutting voice. "In this world, you are the most superior species. The most dangerous predator. In my world, you are as harmless as a new-born pup." He leaned forward, looking into Edward's eyes. "Do you know how much of your own power you have stifled, boy? You have been gifted with superior mental powers and yet you can only use Telepathy. Even that, you cannot control to the fullest extent. You are, quite frankly, pathetic. Rhyian can have you on your knees and begging in a fraction of the second." Edward's eyes widened and Voldemort smirked, "Yes, you are _that_ weak. So weak that even a half-trained, immature lamia can easily overpower you."

"Mr. Riddle," Jasper interrupted before the Dark Lord could continue, "While what you say may be true, you must understand that we couldn't possibly have known the truth about our race. We have had to stumble and sort through everything since we became vampires. The information that we were provided was sketchy at best. The only people I suspect know this must be the ancient vampires at Volturi."

"Indeed, sir." Rosalie said softly, "Rhyian is the first person that we have encountered from your world. Until he arrived, we were completely unaware. Can one really blame us for sticking to our human roots when we knew no better?"

The Dark Lord leaned back, observing them through hooded eyes.

"I am trying." Edward confessed earnestly, looking at Voldemort in the eye, "I don't understand most of what your son told us, but I am trying to be what he wishe-"

"Now, Mr. Cullen." Voldemort interrupted firmly, "You are mistaken if you think that Rhyian is in any way asking you to change for _his sake_. As long as you assume that, you will not succeed. My expectations and the expectations the rest of Rhyian's family will remain unspoken for now. Rhyian is young. I have no intention of allowing him to mate until he has fully matured." The Dark Lord stood and walked over to the window, observing the carefully cultivated garden with a frown. "Rhyian's admonitions are for _your sake_. A person who possesses low self-esteem and thinks the worst of himself will never succeed in life. He is his own enemy in such cases. He will constantly doubt himself, he will constantly question his instincts and behavior. He will consider himself unworthy of any sort of happiness and will let his own insecurity sabotage any relationship that he develops."

Voldemort turned, narrowing his piercing green eyes at the vampire. "Think, boy. Think very hard before you even look at my child with the intention of becoming his mate. For your own sake, think. Rhyian is a prince amongst the Lamia in all but name. Twice blessed by the most ancient and powerful Elf. Being my son makes him the most powerful teenager in the Magical World, both in magic and politics. Being the nephew of Lucius Malfoy gives him unquestionable status amongst the pureblood and noble families. Being the heir of the Baneraven estates gives him a place amongst muggle nobility."

The vampires sat in stunned silence, the enormity of the situation descending upon them at once.

"Tell me that this doesn't intimidate you." Voldemort challenged. "Let us see if you can lie to my face, Edward Cullen."

Edward dipped his head, closing his eyes as he considered everything.

The Dark Lord leaned against the windowsill, "To be his bonded mate, you must have absolute confidence in yourself. You must be able to meet every single one of those important people that Rhyian considers close acquaintances without a shred of insecurity. If - _when_ they show disapproval, you must face it stoically. You can never doubt Rhyian or yourself. Never show weakness to others, never become a weakness that people could take advantage of in order to compromise Rhyian. You must be secure in your place enough not to envy Rhyian in any way. If you are to be his mate, you must _work_ to become part of our world. There is no way around it. Rhyian does not belong in the human world. He has too much power and too much responsibility to stay here. You understand, Cullen?" Voldemort asked, "You will be marrying into the family. Rhyian will not be taking your name, you will be taking his and I will not have it shamed, do you understand?"

Edward stood abruptly, pacing in agitation.

Rosalie and Jasper looked at their brother in concern. "Edward…"

"That's not exactly fair, is it?" Edward asked, combing his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Making so many demands on me for no reason other than the fact that I am Rhyian's mate."

Voldemort arched a brow, his lips curling into a sneer of distaste. "Indeed." He said in a mockingly thoughtful way. "Of course, you have the option of staying as you are, doing what you have been doing all these years." He tilted his head to the side, "What was that exactly?" he asked with feigned innocence, "Ah, yes, repeating school and starting life over again and again. How very… _interesting._" He smirked, "Very productive, I must say."

Edward cringed.

"Must have a charm to it, doing nothing and being nothing." Voldemort went on mercilessly. He wasn't the Dark Lord for nothing, after all. "So used to this charmingly dull, predictable life that even the slightest change will seem unwelcome, is that not correct?"

Suddenly, all humor left him and the dangerous wizard lifted his hand, freezing Edward in his place with a simple charm. "I have never been accused of being _fair,_ boy." He sneered, waving his hand so the Edward floated over towards him, unable to move on his own. Voldemort peered into dark amber eyes, his own now a shade of haunting crimson. "If this is the limit of your strength, stay away from Rhyian. Go mate with your singer and live this pathetic little life. A meaningful existence requires strength that you do not currently possess. Rhyian is to be the next Dark Lord, capable of leading a large faction of people. If you can't keep up with him then you have no right to desire to be by his side. Am I rightly understood, Mr. Cullen?"

Edward gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes, "Yes-"

Voldemort arched a brow and the vampire hissed.

"Yes, my lord."

Voldemort dropped him, ignoring Rosalie and Jasper's defensive stances, "Good. Now be gone."

With that final command, the Dark Lord spun of his heels and exited the parlor, leaving behind a group of confused and angry vampires.

Edward looked down at the book in his grasp and scowled.

He had a lot to think about.


End file.
